


Wish of a Shooting Star

by Cleotetra



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Everything's the same but Killua and Gon are aged up!, F/M, I'm trying to speed things up ya know.., Im constantly dying but hey I'm writing, Multi, Oc in the story :"), Slow progression?? Sort of, long chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 149,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22905448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cleotetra/pseuds/Cleotetra
Summary: "ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴍʏ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍs ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍᴜsɪᴄ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇғᴜʟʟʏ ɪ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ-"(Y/n) applies to the hunter exam with her uncle's permission. She wished to fulfill a goal that had occupied her mind ever since she was little, and it was to find her missing father. She hopes to find friends but she comes across a wild journey. Friends, crushes, it was all a wild one! She just wishes...that it wouldn't end in tragedy.|| Homies I'm just putting this in AO3 cuz my AO3 is..empty...|| Hope you enjoy!!|| It's also in Quotev!! ||
Relationships: Gon Freecs/Reader, Killua Zoldyck/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To new readers, I hope you enjoy!! :")

_" You cast a spell on all my nights and days with your sweet magic ways_ _."_

_Key: (Y/N) = Your name_

_(E/C) = Eye color_

_(H/C) = Hair color_

_Outfit reference:_ [_Hunter exam_](https://urstyle.fashion/styles/2199373)

* * *

The Hunter exam..it was said to be one of the hardest things out there. (Y/n) wasn't too confident in her skills but she knew the basics of nen..she was hoping that she would survive this whole test. She would face many trials, the people from her village said, that she would have a hard time. The only thing hard about it is waiting around in this dank, smelly tunnel. It was testing her patience..and she was having a hard time finding ways to not get bored. When will it start? Will it _ever_ start? There wasn't a doubt in her when she figured that she would be waiting more than 3 hours. 

Her fingers played with the wind that danced around her. It tickled her skin but it wasn't enough to make her laugh or giggle. A hum comes from her as she drops her hand, letting it fall to her side as she pushed herself off of the wall. Her mind was buzzing, thinking of what to do next. "I'll just take a walk around." She mutters to herself. She tugs on the straps of her backpack, elevating it a little bit while she takes a good look around. The teen had already scoped around but..there might be new people around. Maybe she could finally find people her age. She knew that there were ambitious people out there trying to pass this exam within her age range. 11 years old was the said minimum to enter, maybe this was the year where applicants as young as that were to apply. There was hope that she might find more like her.

(Y/n) walked around, humming a soft tune that kept replaying in her head. Eventually her hums change to whistles as she continued to scope out for more people. Rookies were what she was looking for, people her age was her target. Her ears move, hearing footsteps trail her own. Ah...a cluster of people start to swarm her. Did it really have to start so soon? What a bother. Her whistling becomes louder as she tried her best to ignore the crowd approaching her.

"Should you even be here squirt?" A male behind her spoke, causing her to turn her head. She gives in to their need of her attention, a smile was spread across her face. Surely (Y/n) was confident in her skills in fighting people, especially those who didn't know what nen was. (E/C) eyes look up at darker browns. She finds fury in his eyes, she finds that he's trying his best to scare her. What? You think she would give in that easy because she's a girl? No no that man misunderstood this whole scenario. He can't win, he won't ever win.

"You think I can't apply, _sir?"_ A somewhat innocent smile decorates (Y/n)'s face, keeping her gaze at the man that tried to intimidate her. "I'm perfectly legal to apply ya know. I'm 16! The minimum age is 11, maybe there are kids you can pick on." She snickers before turning her back towards the man and his followers. The teen resumes her walk to find others like her, ignoring the men that shadow her. It was obvious that her remarks made him angry. The leader of the pack was furious that she wasn't scared. Perhaps they need to take it a step further.

"Hey." The stranger called out to (Y/n), making her stop in her track. The tall, bulky man looms over her smaller form, placing a hand on her shoulder. Physical contact can scare anyone right? He laughs at how brilliant his thinking was, his dark brown eyes never leaving the sight of the smaller female. "Ya know you got guts talking back to me. Bet you can't fight huh? All bark no bite." 

A smirk places itself on (Y/n)'s face as she manipulated the air around her. Oh how that man would regret ever touching her. With a swift gust of wind she pushes her stalkers back, far away from her. She could hear the pile knock over other people, as complaints were surrounding the area. A satisfied hum leaves her mouth as she turned around once more. She was proud of her work, proud that she was able to push them back that far! That certainly was a new record! Tugging on the straps of her backpack, she approaches the men who were stacked on top of each other. She had a mischievous smirk on her face.

The (H/C) haired female crouched down to their level, her gaze falling on the leader of the pack. "Pick a fight with someone your own size, okay? You never know~ Some kids might be really strong." (Y/n) sent them a wink before she pushes herself back up. "And don't call me squirt and don't _ever_ think of following me again, okay?" She dusts off her hands, walking backwards for a moment. She felt herself press against two taller figures, making her jolt forward. Immediately she turns around, finding two taller men..who looked around the same age as her. 

One of them had white, spiky yet fluffy hair. He bore bright blue eyes that complement his pale skin. He wore a dark blue turtleneck, a white shirt, and some navy blue pants. One of his hands was stuffed in his pockets while the other carried a yellow skateboard with a red arrow on it. He blew a bubble of gum as he kept his gaze on her. There was another who stood beside him, he looked to be shorter than the other by a couple of inches. Still, he was taller than her. This one had spiky hair, pointed upwards. He wore green shorts, with the length nearing to his knee. To complete it, he wore a jacket with the same color, and a backpack.

(Y/n) had a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at the two taller boys. Woah! There really are people around her age! They look to be 16 as well! The teen shook her head as she showed off an excited smile. "Sorry I bumped into you guys." She spoke, looking away for a moment. Oh..uhh..how does she make friends again? Oh right! Talking to them should do it!

"Oh its okay!" One of them spoke. The one in green sported a bright smile as he sent her a small wave. "We wanted to check out what was going on over here so yeah! We didn't mean to get close. My name is Gon!" Gon extends a hand towards her to which the female happily shook. Both of them seemed to share their enthusiasm, something that the pale one didn't understand. The concept was odd to him as..he did not grow up talking to people in his life, other than his family of course. He continues to watch however, waiting for his chance to talk to the strange girl.

"Sup." Killua mutters. His fingers point towards the pile of men that (Y/n) had caused, "How'd you take out those guys over there? You didn't even touch them and they fell back. They were totally asking for it by the way." The male felt a nudge from the shorter boy beside him, finding his auburn eyes staring at his blue ones. He was saying to..introduce himself, or at least that's what he was getting from that. "Oh..right. The name's Killua by the way." He didn't bother giving her a handshake. What's the point anyway, it wasn't a business meeting.

"Nice to meet you guys! My name is (Y/n)!" (Y/n) beamed a bright smile at the two. She was excited, happy to finally find people around her age! However she hesitated when Killua's question found its way to her ear. Oh..how would she explain that without really explaining what nen is? Oh! Oh she can probably just avoid the question! Yeah that sounds good!

"Oh about that- uhhh- I can't really say unless we're really close ya know?" The teenage girl scratched the back of her head, laughing lightly, "Besides! It's not even that important! Anyway, I'm super glad to find you guys here! I thought I was the only one here that's young. There's adults _everywhere_. I spent most of my time looking around and all I see were adults! Not even teenagers around! I figured more would be participating ya know. Still, Glad to know that I'm not alone on this!" 

(Y/n) felt Killua's eyes on her. He was trying to read her, he was trying to understand what the hell happened back there and how the hell it even happened. His lips pursed together to form a frown as he kept his gaze on her. "Ok. I'll play along then. What level of friendship do we have to be to learn your _secret?"_

Killua's words shook (Y/n), making her look up at him. Looks like he wasn't going to give up, but even if he's really curious about her, they would have to go the long way! "Dunno! You would just have to find out!"

Gon noticed the strange tension between the two, curious as to why that was happening. Sure he kinda wanted to know how that happened but Killua wasn't _subtle_ about it. It was obvious that he wanted to know what happened. It was almost to the point where he was trying to force an answer out of her. Nudging him a little bit, it caught his attention, their eyes connecting for a moment. A sigh comes from him, "Fine. Whatever."

Killua shrugged his shoulders as he blew another bubble. His mind was set on trying to find out what was going on, set on finding out what this girl was. Gon was the one that spoke the most between them, as he liked to keep to himself most of the times. These were strangers..even if they were the same age they've only just met a couple of seconds ago. "I'm sure you would like to meet my two other friends! They're around the same age as us too! Follow me, I'll show you to them!" Gon spoke, shining a smile at the girl. The news seemed to excite the girl more as she nodded, trailing the black haired teen. Cat-shaped blue eyes follow them, lingering at his spot for a moment before he goes after the other two. 

The trio made their way to where two other teens were at. One of them had blonde hair with black eyes. He was leaning on the wall of the tunnel, waiting for the first phase to start. He wore an interesting blue cloth over white clothes. It had a simple design, but it didn't look civilian either. The other was wearing a blue suit, probably three piece. This one had dark brown eyes, his hair was the same hue as well but it was borderline black. He had a stubble indicating his age. From what the teenage girl guessed, he was around his 20's or perhaps...late teens. Gon did say that they were like them too. A hum comes from (Y/n) as she looked at the two, sending them a small wave.

They exchanged greetings, finding that the blonde's name was Kurapika and the black haired male was Leorio. That makes five teens in the hunter exam. (Y/n) wishes that there were more so that she could relate to more people. The amount of adults was somewhat overwhelming, but it's something that doesn't really scare her. She's already fond of the small group of acquaintances that she had made, she was hoping that all of them were to pass this exam. To pass the remaining time, they chatted over small things.

A whistle catches everyone's attention, shifting everyone's gaze at a strange looking man. He also wore a suit, except this one was black with what looks like red or white stripes. She was more than 3 feet away from him, of course she couldn't see him clearly. He had a strange mustache and he lacked a mouth. The stranger that had the whistle is, who she suspects, was an examiner. The examinees stared at each other and eventually back at him. There was a silence within the tunnel before that was broken by footsteps, as the guy in the very front started his stride.

At first it was just walks, it escalates to jogs and soon after everyone came to a run. (Y/n)'s face started to turn sour as she realized that this first phase was nothing but an endurance test. She disliked running, it wasn't fun at all. It made her sweat, it made her tired, there wasn't anything that she enjoyed from this. A frown decorates her face as she kept her pace, trying her best not to slow down or run too fast. Her ears perked up as she heard skateboard wheels beside her, finding that Killua was using what he held on to at the start. Well that wasn't very fair at all.

"You know..I won't really answer your questions if you're cheating." (Y/n) spoke, shifting her eyes away from him. She could hear him sigh beside her.

"I'll figure it out."

"You won't, unless someone told you."

"Hmph." Killua kicked his skateboard up, catching it as he turned to running. She was a way with words huh? Maybe if he plays by her rules, he'll get answers for the question that's bugging him. She wasn't at all that strange for someone their age...she looked pretty normal to him. How come he feels like there was something really weird about her. She pushed those people back without even touching them. That was..the only thing that's odd about her. The teenage boy blows another bubble from his gum, trying to match the girl's slow pace. He sees Gon start to go beside her with a smile on his face.

The black haired boy figured that the atmosphere around the three of them would be better if he engaged in small talk again! A hum leaves him as he stared at the two other teens, grinning at them. "So! Where are you guys from?" He asked them, catching the attention of both of (Y/n) and Killua.

"Oh! I live in a rural area right now..small little village just a couple of miles away from this really cool arena! I used to live by there! It's called Heaven's Arena, have you guys ever heard of it? It's really popular in the city but I don't think you guys are from there. It's a really nice place. I wanted to fight there when I was young...perhaps follow my old man's footsteps but..yeah. I don't think it'll work out for me over there." The teenage girl smiled at Gon before she looked at the white haired male that was running beside her. He shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to open up.

"Yeah I've heard of it. I used to fight there when I was six. I think I got up to the 100th floor when I was young. That was a long time ago though. I haven't been there in a while. Where I live though? I dunno...can't really tell you guys about that yet."

His response made both of (Y/n) and Gon nod their head. They don't wanna pry him for answers. He'll open up when he wants to..forcing him won't do them much good. A smile graced Gon's face as he looked at the female he ran beside. Since she opened up, he should probably talk about his home too! There wasn't anything bad about saying where he lives, it's not like anyone would track him down and kill him! That was simply ridiculous! 

"I live in Whale Island! I don't remember how far off it is from here..but I know it took a couple of days before we got to a nearby port. Do you guys wanna take a guess to why it's called that?"

"I think it's called that cuz there's a bunch of whales around it right?" (Y/n) mused, smiling up at the taller male.

"No not quite. It's because it's shaped like a whale! That was a good guess though." Gon sent her a grin before his eyes went to look at the albino they ran with. He was awfully quiet..maybe he was thinking about what happened earlier. Don't get him wrong! The thing that his new acquaintance did sounded really neat but it was also a headscratcher. They had a good look at the scene earlier, it was enough to know that she didn't touch them by the slightest. He didn't wanna believe it was magic but there's really no other explanation to it! A pout decorates the black haired male's face as he looked around, trying to find his other friends.

Killua noticed this detail as well, his cat-like eyes looking around. Not a sight of a shorter blonde or a taller brunette anywhere around them. A sigh comes from him as he takes a glance at the other teenager. "Gon, where's your other friends? I thought they would be running beside us, not away from us."

"I'm looking, Killua." The teen clad in green spoke, his gaze never leaving the crowd. (Y/n) tilted her head to the side, not realizing that they were the only ones together. The clansman and the suited one weren't near them. It didn't look good. The three of them started to trail behind the crowd of runners. Gon was the first to slow down, (Y/n) followed with Killua last. In the very back they noticed Leorio falling behind, eventually stopping to take a breather. Kurapika was nowhere to be found. They assumed that he was still running.

Gon stared at his friend, waiting for him to move so that they could run as well. After only a few moments, Leorio appeared to have gotten a burst of energy. His stride escalated to a sprint, which caused two of the three teens to smile. The female was amused by the sight, she was also very proud of a man that she just met. The black haired teen was also very happy that one of his friends managed to come back. Using the fishing pole that he had stashed in his backpack, he grabbed the male's suitcase for him. He didn't want to leave that behind, it seemed valuable to his friend. Soon after Leorio was seen running, they all did the same. 

"Hey do you guys know how old Leorio is?" (Y/n) mused, "He looks around...like what? In his twenties? Probably 3 years ahead of us or something. That stubble is really throwing me off ya know."

"Him?" Killua hummed, spitting his bubblegum out, "I dunno. He said to call him _Mister_ Leorio when I first met him, but why should I? It's just Leorio now." The male shrugged his shoulder, letting out a smile, "Oh well. I respect who I wanna."

The one dressed in green looked at his two companions, wondering himself. He didn't know how old Leorio was. He had the same guess as the girl too! He thought he was probably in his twenties, but that was close enough to their age range! Gon thought that it was rude to ask someone their age...especially when you just met them. Probably soon, he'll get the chance to ask the oldest one. "I got the same guess as you, (Y/n). I didn't ask him when I first met him. I thought that it wasn't ya know- necessary! Besides, I'll probably ask him later on."

The group of adolescence continue their run, catching up with the other examinees. The sight of stairs start to appear, causing different reactions within the bunch. A little anxiety bubbles in (Y/n)'s stomach at those stairs. Well she did train on them but judging by those steps, it would probably take longer to climb up them. Still..she was somewhat confident that she'll get through this. Her body starts to weaken, however, which means that she was getting tired. That didn't sound good. 

Gon looks over at his friends, smiling as bright as he could. His finger pointed towards the stairs. "Let's finish strong! We're probably close to the end now!"

"Hey, how bout we make it so the last one up pays for lunch as soon as we get outta here?" Killua spoke, shoving his hands in his pockets. They all looked at each other, each having their own way of expressing determination. The albino was still laid back, but still confident that he'll be the first one up there. Gon had a look to his eyes, while (Y/n) smiled brightly.

"Deal!"

They all figure that they would focus on running now. No need for small talk anymore! With the proposal of a race, it turned rather competitive! The three teens start to quicken their pace, passing by a lot of people. There were many passed out on the steps, making the female's stomach turn. Damn..what if she turns out like those people? It was bound to happen soon right? Ah! No that wouldn't be the case if she doesn't pay attention to those people! 

The teenage girl shook her head, dismissing the troubling thoughts that were weighing her down. She can't have those things mess up with her brain! (Y/n) looked to her side, finding that Gon and Killua had gotten ahead of her. "Wha?" The girl muttered out. A little frustrated that she slowed down, she figured that maybe, just maybe..it was right to cheat. Using just a little bit of her nen, she surrounded her feet with air. It helped put spring with each step. Before she was running up step by step but now she's skipping up to four!

On her way up, she noticed a familiar two running just a couple of people away from her. Her gaze shift to where they were at, sparing them a smile. "Hey! I'll see you guys up there!" (Y/n) smiled at Kurapika and Leorio, moving her focus to catching up with the two other teens her age. (E/C) eyes look around, trying to find those two. A hint of green was spotted just a couple of feet away from her. A familiar white shirt was next to him as well. A mischievous smile graces the young woman's face as she skips to where they're at. Maybe she should go say hi!

"Heya!" the girl shouted, catching the attention of Gon and Killua. She sends them a wave as she smiled proudly. "Looks like you two are buyin lunch! See ya at the top!" Within a blink, the two males noticed that she was gone from their sight. They looked at each other, a little confused to how she was doing that. The albino glares at her. He's itching to figure out what she was and why she was so weird! Gon was curious too but he was too focused on finishing this run! 

"She's definitely magic." Killua muttered. The raven haired male heard him, agreeing with his statement. 

Within a couple of minutes, (Y/n) was already at the top, sitting on the grass and letting herself rest. She felt _exhausted!_ This was probably the most she had ran in a while! Sure she had some training before she traveled to the exam site, but it wasn't enough to prepare her for that. Luckily her stamina seemed to work in her favor, as well as her nen training! The (H/C) haired female was leaning on her arms, lightly panting. Her ears moved when she heard a familiar voice appear behind her. She turns her head to find that the other two teens appeared just in time!

Her (E/C) eyes connected with Killua's icy blues, both looking from each other within the next second. Killua stuck his tongue out, his hands still stuffed in his pockets. A hum leaves him as he nudged the boy beside him. They exchanged words to themselves, which ended with Gon shrugging his shoulders. Both boys approach her, looking down at her sitting form. With a smile, (Y/n) invites them to sit down with her.

"You levitated or something to get up here." The albino started the conversation, making the female jump a little. Oh? Her? Is that what it looked like to them? A laugh leaves the girl's mouth, shaking her head a little. 

"God I wish I could do that."

"You're definitely magic, (Y/n)!" Gon chimed in, pouting at his acquaintance, "Really though- you kinda went by us like- really fast."

"Yeah. You're weird." The albino spoke, crossing his arms. "Well whatever. We're up here now." 

(Y/n) could tell that he didn't wanna let her up. But that's whatever. The female shrugged her shoulders, keeping a smile on her face. The three of them waited for the other two teens to get up the stairs. Both Kurapika and Leorio climbed up at the same time. She waves those two over to sit with them so that they won't feel excluded from the bunch. As they all rested, they chatted small things. They all waited to for the rest of the examinees to get up to the top.

Softly she could hear her stomach grumble. (Y/n) displays a pout as she felt herself getting hungrier just waiting around. Ah..what the hell. That was a bother. The girl took off her backpack, her hands rummaging around to find some food. There just to the side of the many water bottles she packed, was a hidden stash of candy. Her (E/C) eyes stare at it for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should grab it. What if this wasn't the end of the first phase..what if she gets hungry later on? The female shook her head, grabbing a bottle of water instead of caving in. She gulps in a little bit before she returned it back in its place.

"Sounds like you're hungry." Killua spoke, tilting his head towards the side. "You think you can still keep up?" 

"Yeah. It's nothing. I don't care if I'm hungry." (Y/n) hummed, shaking her head. She stood up to stretch her limbs with the others followed her. They all stood together, keeping their small chatter. The female could hear the door close behind her. Just behind it, there was a man screaming, begging for them to wait for him. She simply stared at him, spared him a frown. There was always a next year. Maybe that man was impatient. A scream from the side of the tunnel caught her off guard, making her tense up.

"That's not one of the examiners! That's one of the animals that wants to hunt you down! See! Look here!" A man who appeared to be heavily wounded dragged out an creature that had a similar facial structure as Mr. Satoz, if not, a replica of his face. (Y/n) stares at the man and then at the animal. She was sure curious to how that man had went about with his claim. Many people around them muttered their opinions, some going along with the stranger. The teenage girl stood still, pondering everything.

She wasn't necessarily the brightest but she sure as hell listens to people. Her uncle had told her about this before, she was well aware that the hunter exam wasn't easy. Hell, this first half of the first phase? It wasn't easy but she got by! She was well aware that examiners were hunters themselves, her uncle told her that before she got here. He told her everything she needed to know basically! Just..not how the exam is going to be laid out. She wished that she had gotten a clue to what she was going to face. The girl shook her head as she looked at her two companions. Killua's indifference was way different than Gon's curiosity. They were..certainly two interesting dynamics.

Gasps caught her attention, pulling her away from thinking. She finds cards pierced on the _supposed_ wounded examiner's chest while Satoz caught the cards before it could hit him. The pink haired male sent a glare towards the only person who wielded cards. Number 44, or as people know him as Hisoka. He was a magician, or at least that's what most people think he is. To (Y/n), he was seen as a clown..a very intimidating clown. The girl stares at him, her face kept itself neutral. 

Killua smiled at the sight. Finally..there was something interesting happening around them. He watched the other guy topple on his back, the monkey like creature he had in his hands had ran away. It was also scared by the clown. Icy blue eyes stare at the magician, finding him interesting. For someone that does dress up like a party clown, he sure looked strong. Scary to some people even. He's heard about him of course. He's the one that caused a commotion back in the tunnel before. He cut up someone's arm because they were gonna start a fight with him. Ah..such a lousy mistake.

"The real examiner would have caught those cards with ease you know. Examiners are hunters themselves." Hisoka played with his cards, shuffling them with ease. "Such a shame. I thought everyone knew that by now." The male stood still, a smile decorating his face. Satoz approached him with a glare, though his look eased up a little bit.

"I know you're trying to prove a point, 44, but next time you're out of the exam if you try to hurt an examiner." The suited man spoke, turning heel. The situation has been solved..there shouldn't be a hold up anymore. Satoz dusted his hands, fixed the collar of his jacket, before he blew his whistle again. They were running again, as (Y/n) expected to happen. A sigh leaves her, lingering in her spot for a moment before she starts to run again. 

She matches her pace with the two males that she stuck beside, Kurapika and Leorio trailing them like always. She wasn't gonna lie, she felt a little tired. Sure it wasn't enough to make her pass out, but it was enough to make her steps smaller. A hum leaves her as she looked up at the two she ran beside. "What are your thoughts on the other applicants this year?" (Y/n) asked, "I've scoped out a couple of people that I think I would wanna stay away from. There's Hisoka, Tonpa, there's that pinhead guy. Ya know, not that I'm _scared_ of them or anything. Just thought they wouldn't be nice to have around."

"My thoughts? I dunno. I don't really think that much of the people here." Killua spoke, shrugging, "I guess I'd stay away from pinhead. I don't like the vibes I get from him. I feel...like he knows me for some reason. But I dunno." 

"So far I don't really have a bad opinion on anyone! There are some interesting people here though. I would rather befriend people than be their enemies! If I have to fight then I have to fight, it's that simple. I don't really like..judging people you know? My Aunt taught me to always help people out, not the other way around."

(Y/n) nodded her head in response to their answers. Rather interesting! They really were two different types of people! Humming comes from her as they approached a thick fog. Not looking where she was stepping on, she felt herself slip a little. The girl supported herself before she could fall. If she did fall, she would have really messed up her clothes! She didn't want that at all. Her shoes might be a little muddy but that didn't matter, she could always rub it against some grass and the mud would go away! Balancing herself, she stands still, losing sight of the two boys that she was starting to grow fond of. 

A pout decorates her face as she looks around. Her nen manifests around her, moving the fog around so that she could see farther. It was getting difficult to traverse through this fog! It was getting thicker by the second! "Aw..really?" The teen whined. To avoid complications, she kept walking forward. If she ran, she wouldn't know what she would come across in this lonely fog. With her hands, she moves the fog, taking bits of it off of her way. Her ears try their best to listen for anyone around her. Finally she hears footsteps to her right, making her run towards that noise. That must be someone! Anyone would do!

(Y/n) kept her pace, running towards where she thinks people might be. She was stopped however when she felt someone grab her wrist, making her tense up. Using her hands, she pushes herself forward, trying to get away from that person's grasp. But they wouldn't budge. It felt like..she ended up dragging them along with her. The (H/C) haired girl looked behind her, finding that it was Killua was the one holding on to her.

"Jeez..ever think about looking behind you before you do all this _magic_?" The albino asked, letting her arm go. He stretched a little, trying to get himself back in shape. It wasn't long for him to trace back his steps to find her. He did notice her stop a little to catch herself from she falling onto the mud. Gon however didn't seem to be lucky. That one probably wandered off somewhere. It was lucky that they both found each other, lucky that he didn't just grab some strangers hand. (Y/n) was a stranger, but they were well acquainted enough not to call each other that. A hum comes from the white haired male as he looked at her pout. "What? Did I scare ya or something?"

"A little! Yeah! You coulda called out to be before you did that you know." She fussed. She shook her head, sighing. (Y/n) looks up at the male, finding a smile on his face. Was he amused that she had gotten a little scared back there? Whatever. This guy was weird too! If he sees her as a weirdo, then he's a weirdo to her too! "Ya know what, let's just get out of here." 

Killua nodded. His gaze lingered on her form for a moment, finding that it was clearer than the other silhouettes of other people. Hell..he probably wouldn't even seen her properly if the area around her wasn't so clear. He squints his eyes, trying to figure her out, but then decided to scrap the idea. He grabbed her wrist again, dragging her along with him. If they found each other, it was better not to get lost again. Now that they were reunited, a thought popped up in his head. Where was Gon? He did notice the guy trail off somewhere after a while of running. He assumed that the other was just trying to find her, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"You didn't see Gon, did you?" Killua asked, not even looking back at her. It would be a shame if that one had gotten away. Killua wasn't sure why but he felt like..sticking to that one too. With her, he doesn't mind her presence...as long as she tells her what this _secret_ was, he'll probably start trusting her more. It doesn't look like she's gonna budge at all. Maybe in the later days, yeah, but now? Probably not.

The girl he was with shook her head, "No..I didn't even find him at all! I lost him with you too." A sigh leaves (Y/n) as she looked around, her hands playing with the fog around her. She wanted a clearer view of the place so that she could find any more people. Unfortunately it didn't look like anyone was around them. "I hope he's not dead or something. I would feel really _really_ bad if something like that happened. I don't think it'll happen though but ya know, there might be a chance that it will. Expect the un-"

"Expect the unexpected, yeah yeah. I get ya. I'm sure we'll find him in the end." The albino cut her off, which made the girl pout. The two spend their time running in the fog, with (Y/n) giving them an advantage. Her nen moves the fog around them so that they could have a clearer view of the area around them. Eventually their non-stop wandering in the fog had gotten them back to the original group of people they were running with. Those who managed to follow the examiner were already resting. 

Killua lets go of (Y/n)'s hand as they both approached a tree they could rest on for a while. The male leans on the trunk while the other sits down, her body on the stump. He noticed that she was lightly panting, perhaps she was a little tired from the run. It shouldn't have been that hard..for him it was like running one mile. He did this phase with ease, surely it wasn't too difficult for others here. His cat-like eyes looked around, finding some were resting and others were perfectly fine. 

(Y/n) takes out her bag, trying to find the water bottle that she had drank from earlier. She takes in everything, even from the last drop. She has three more bottles to spare if she ever grows tired. Using her foot, she steps on the plastic bottle as she plans on bringing it back home. What's the use of littering? It harms the ecosystem..that's something that she didn't want to do. Placing the crushed container, her eyes spot a familiar wrapper hiding behind other bottles. It was a bag of candy that she was saving. The young woman wasn't sure if she needed the sugar rush now..but..she was hungry.

She grabs the colorful bag of treats, unwrapping it. The noise alerted the male that was standing beside her. Killua sat down himself, his eyes never leaving the sight of candy. No matter what age, he seemed to be a sucker for these sugary delights. Back when he was younger, he was obsessed with these small drops of chocolates called chocorobo-kun chocolate balls. Don't get him wrong, he still loves them. He used to raid the shelves of stores whenever he had the chance! The one that (Y/n) was opening right now was a bag of..what seemed to be those sour kid candies. Oh well...anything will do. 

The (H/C) haired female noticed the curious gaze of her friend, finding that his eyes were set on her candy. A smile decorates her face as she pours out a little bit in her hand for him to pick from. There was still some in the bag, but those were gonna be saved for later. She doesn't really have an unlimited supply of candy after all. "Pick as many as you want. I don't care. Just save a little for me." The girl spoke, keeping her joyful expression. 

Killua nodded, picking a red sour kid from her palm. Ah..it has been a while since he's eaten these! He's mostly been munching on chocolates that he forgot that other types of candy exist in the world. He finishes the first one in a gulp, making him take another and this time it was green. A hum leaves him as he looked at it. The color reminded him of another person that they were with. Gon. Well..he should be here any minute now. There was no need to be thinking about him. 

"You're not gonna at least say thanks?" (Y/n) said, nudging the male that she sat beside. A laugh leaves her as she takes her hand away from his sight. 

"Oh right. Sorry. Uhh.." Killua gulps once more, "Thanks." That word seems so foreign to him. It feels weird that it's coming out of his tongue. Not that he was uncomfortable by it, rather..it was..it was just weird for him to say. He's never really _expressed_ his gratitude to anyone before. His icy blues saw the girl's hand come back into view, prompting him to take another piece of candy. Once they ate everything, they decided to look around, trying to find the other three. 

Killua spots someone that he knew. Nudging the girl that he was with, he pointed at Leorio who looked like he passed out. The tall male sat on the grass, leaning on a tree's stump. It doesn't look like he's in great shape either since there were bandages and a large bump on his head. (Y/n) tilts her head to the side as she stared at the male, thinking that it was best to approach him now. If Leorio was here..that must mean that Gon and Kurapika were nearby. 

A hum comes from the girl as she stares at the man who took a beating. It didn't look..that bad. At the very least, he got some treatment for some bumps and bruises. She..had an urge to do something about it. Maybe she should spare him a couple of supplies. She might have some spare granola bars hiding behind some water bottles. As soon as she was close enough, (Y/n) took off her bag to grab a single granola bar and one of her many bottles of water. That shouldn't be a loss...with this small backpack, you can pack up to like 4 bottles! If you knew how to pack good of course! The teen leans over, lightly patting Leorio's face to wake him up.

At first, Leorio wasn't budging. His eyes opened up a little before he fell back asleep. His body decided that now wasn't a good time to wake up at all. In front of him, he could hear some mumbling. He couldn't really make out other words so he just ignored it. The male only ever jolts awake when he felt a sharp hit on his cheek. Eyes spring open for him to find that it was the two other people he had in his group. With a free hand, he lightly rubs the area where he was hit. "What the hell! What's your problem!" The older teen screamed out loud, causing a commotion. A sigh comes from as he saw an apologetic look on one of teen's faces. The other seemed neutral about it..that one must be the one who slapped him. "Wait wait..why am I here?"

"I could ask you the same thing Leorio." Killua said, keeping his gaze on the battered male, "You got here before us. It's weird that you managed to find your way here and then pass out. Unless someone carried you here. I was gonna ask you what happened but you look confused too." 

"Aren't you gonna at least say sorry for hitting him like that?"

"Nah. He's awake, so why should I? That's what you wanted to happen right?"

"Whatever. Anyway..Leorio I have some stuff for you. I think you might need them." (Y/n) handed the man some of her stuff, feeling that he might like them. It was a granola bar and water, essentials ya know. The two of them tried to investigate whatever the hell happened to Leorio, but it seems like they weren't getting anything. Killua hears footsteps approach them, finding Gon and Kurapika together. A smile makes it way up to his face, leaving (Y/n) and Leorio behind to talk. Soon the duo sees the blonde and the black haired boy. They all meet up where the tall man with glasses was resting.

"Do any of you guys have an explanation to why you two look beat up?" The albino asked, leaning on a tree. His arms were crossed as he looked at the two males, finding they had a similar bump on their face. Looks to be made the same person..or different people. Kurapika didn't have a scratch on him so he probably wasn't involved. 

"We ran across Hisoka on our way here." The blonde spoke, shifting his attention to the curious bunch, "Gon and Leorio were hit but I chose to stand back. It wasn't wise to engage in something like that." Kurapika copied Killua's pose, crossing his arms as well. "Still..I'm glad we made it out of the dense fog. I was starting to get worried that we were definitely lost in the forest. Luckily, Gon was with me.

"And this is why I have Hisoka on my no no list." (Y/n) muttered, shaking her head. "I'm glad we're all here together. It's better if we all stick together than trailing off ya know? I can't find myself trusting any other people. I doubt that we'll be separated anytime soon."

Everyone nodded, agreeing to the idea of sticking together. It was better that way. Surely there was no way to pass this without teamwork, unless someone is really the _lone wolf_ type. To which, (Y/n) was not. She figured that she was more of a social butterfly who just happened to have a hard time trust people in this exam. She was lucky to have found these four or she wouldn't have made it through this first phase alone. Shaking her head, the (H/C) haired girl smiled at her bunch of friends. They started another conversation among them to pass the time.

Satoz blew his whistle, causing everyone to pay attention to him. The examiner explains that when the gate before then opens, it will end the first phase of the exam. The pink-haired male wishes everyone good luck because he knows internally they were really going to need it. The next phase, depending on how things play out, would either be really easy or really hard. That is...if the woman would keep her temper. The doors behind him open up, prompting his leave. Satoz runs off somewhere before he hides in the trees. 

The remaining applicants make their way forward, leaving those in the fog behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Day and night to morning, keeping me in the moment . "
> 
> Key: (F/D) - Favorite drink

A towering gate starts to close behind the bunch of surviving examinees. It marks the start of the second phase of the Hunter exam. A hum comes from (Y/n) as she looked at the surrounding area. Her hands lightly tug on the straps of her travel bag as she walked forward with the rest of her group mates. There were counters placed in neat rows and it had their own fire pit. Her stomach twisted, her face turns sour once more as she realized that this new phase might be..another boring one. It was obvious..it was probably a cooking phase! What's the point of that! She wasn't gonna end up as a cook!

A sigh leaves the (H/C) haired female as she looked up at her friends, finding that they were curious to what they were gonna do with the tabletops and the open furnace. They approached counters that were close to each other so that they won't be separated. (Y/n)'s table sits in the very middle of the five, with Gon and Killua beside her. Kurapika's place was to Gon's left, while Leorio was on Killua's right.

A tall woman with bright turquoise hair spoke loud and proud about the phase's terms. They were quite simple, its just...(Y/n) doesn't like cooking. Sure she knew how to cook basic things but ever since the occurrences back in her old home , she doesn't like doing chores. The memory of just..scrubbing floors, being treated like a modern Cinderella. Just..a horrible thought. A pout decorates the girl's face as she looked at her friends, hopping on the counter to sit on it. Her legs swing back and forth, letting the heel of her shoes lightly bang on the wood.

"What's the use of this? I don't like cooking." A yawn comes from (Y/n) as she looked around at her teammates, a frown still on her face. "Is there anything better to do?"

"Well it _is_ part of the exam. You can't skip this either way." Killua spoke, leaning against the counter. His fingers tapped on the hard surface, his eyes looking around to find other participants as rowdy as the girl. He found amusement in the sight, shaking his head he let out a small smile. The albino's cat like eyes looked to find the examiner, Menchi, with fury evident in her face. Oh boy she was hella pissed by the comments. His lips arch up into a bigger grin, before it ends up in a short lived chuckle. "Man, sounds like people _really_ don't like this phase. Can't blame them, this is hella boring."

The rise of all the comments gave Menchi a good reason to be angry. Those who said that this test was useless? Oh there was surely a reason as to why _this_ is important! How dare they say that it was a good for nothing phase! The efforts that culinary hunters do is just simply underappreciated! Oh she'll just show them! 

The large, round man beside the way smaller woman seemed to notice how red she was turning. Buhara let out a smile to himself before he could feel himself sigh. Oh she was at it again and this time it looks really bad. A hum comes from him as he lightly pats his partner's back, sending her a thumbs up in the hopes that it could brighten up the mood. But he would later learn that not even that small gesture would help calm her down.

"Your main ingredient will be pork. You can find pigs in the forest. Kill those pigs and do whatever with it." Mechi spoke, her booming voice catching everyone's attention. She places her hands on her hips as she looks at the many ungrateful participants. They were quite rude too. There was not a chance that anyone is passing easily. It seems no one here has a passion for cooking! She'll show them her rage, she'll show how those comments would really mess up their progress. 

"Pork? I dunno what else to make with pork." (Y/n) muttered to herself, pushing herself off the counter. She dusts her fingers and stretches, "Well at least I can do something that's not cooking. Don't you know how weird it is messing with guts? It's gross."

"You're just not used to it." Killua said, "It feels nice...but that's just me."

"You're weird, Killua."

"No you are."

The two teens stuck their tongues out at each other before they ran to where the other three were headed. Gon lightly laughed at how his two friends interacted, finding their short rivalry funny. The boy takes the lead for this one, as he could smell where pigs might be. They had a distinct..smell to them. They smell like dirt, or sweat. But that might as well be everyone here. People should be sweaty after all that running! Hell if some say that they didn't even sweat during that endurance test then they might as well be lying.

Like a line, the group of five teens walked around the forest. (Y/n) stuck beside walking with Kurapika, exchanging words with him to strengthen their bond. She's growing fond of this one as well. She feels like they could understand each other, but sometimes he would say super smart words that she wouldn't get. She doesn't read the dictionary after all! She could only get some big words before she eventually gives up on the thought of having an intellectual talk with him. Tugging on the straps of her bag, she could feel herself fall backwards on her bottom. (E/C) widen as she felt herself sliding down a hill. Her body collides with Gon's and behind her she could feel another person press against her. She felt squished!

"Oi what the hell, Leo-" The girl stops herself after seeing that it was Killua who was crushing her. "Jeez! Why do you weigh like ten tons?! For a second I thought you were Leorio!" 

"Hey kid, I am _not_ that heavy." Leorio fussed, his eyebrows furrowing at (Y/n).

"Me? I'm heavy? Really now. I'm one of the lightest people in my family." The albino pouted, standing up. He dusted his hands, taking off the dirt that clung on to him when he placed his hands on the grass. Everyone else seemed to do the same, as they stretched and looked around to find the reason why the one wearing green stopped all of a sudden. The girl lightly pokes her friend's shoulder, alerting him that they were all standing but him. A short chuckle comes from Gon as he grabbed (Y/n)'s hand, helping himself up. The male points to a small horde of giant pigs with big noses. 

"You see that over there? That's the pigs we gotta cook!" The black haired teen spoke, shining his friends a bright smile. "Now we just..gotta.." He stopped himself as he connected eyes with one of the pigs. For a moment, everything was still. That is until the hoard of wild boars started to charge towards the group. Gulping in, Gon starts sprinting, yelling "Run!" to his friends. The short yelp made everyone turn their heads to look at the bunch of pigs.

(Y/n)'s eyes widen as she starts running as well. A squeal comes from her as she tried to match up Gon's speed, but she might as well have passed him. Was she panicking? No no she shouldn't be! Well maybe she was panicking _a little bit._ The thought of being trampled by those giant animals! Super scary you know! There were better and less brutal ways to die ya know! A pout decorates the female's face as she looked at her friends, she tries her best to think of a way to get away. Aha! That's a good idea! 

Her hands shift the air around her, bringing it to her feet. Watching for any nearby hanging branches, the girl jumps on to one to get away from her friends and the big pigs. She climbs up on to it, feeling the tree shake a little. Looking down to the ground, she finds a stray pig trying to get her. (Y/n) wasn't gonna be someone's dinner tonight! A smile appears on her face as she looked at the struggling animal, her eyes looking away for a moment. She finds a twig growing on the side of the branch she stood on. Pulling on it, she had gotten herself a good enough weapon. Anything can pierce a body if you try hard enough. (E/C) eyes look a the pointed tip, the one where it was more ragged. 

Now that she's got something to stab the pig with, (Y/n) looks down at the pig who was still determined to make her dinner. The smile never left her face as she stares at the animal. There was a curious "X" on its forehead. That might be the boar's weak spot, which would explain their giant noses. Before she could throw her only weapon, she's gotta test out something first. The girl wanted to see if she was right or not. She finds a shiny red apple on a far off limb. It was solid enough to be thrown, but it would break on contact. Oh well..it was enough. Grabbing the fruit, she tosses it in the air first, playing with it a little. With her good arm and a little bit of _magic_ , the apple was thrown at a high speed. As expected it did break upon contact, and it earned (Y/n) a squeal from the pig. That was enough to make it fall down. 

The girl looked at the stick in her hand, deciding that it was better not to get messy. If it pierced through that pig's head, its gonna get real bloody. These things appear to lug around a bunch of blood so it really would be better if she just throws another apple. Or perhaps..she should just fall down on it. Jumping off of the branch, (Y/n) lands on the boar's forehead. Its body provided a good cushion for her fall, and it looks like her weight managed to kill the poor thing. Her hands lightly pat the corpse of the pig, a frown spreads on her face. "I'm so sorry..I just had to you know!" 

Hopping off of her pig, she wraps the wind around her to give herself extra strength. With pushing this thing along with her, she'll be able to get this boar up the hill in no time! 

Well..sometimes things don't turn out the way you want them to. It ended up taking her more than 15 minutes to get up the hill. By the time she arrived at her cooking stations, her friends were already preparing their utensils. Curious (E/C) eyes look at both sides, finding that one of them was looking at her. She connects her gaze with Gon for a moment before the boy shyly looks away. The girl tilts her head before she shrugged her shoulders. She starts to prepare her area as well. 

After a while of horrible gutting and cutting the pig into pieces, she had gotten most of the meat that she wanted to cook. It was a simple dish that she was forced to learn because her old aunt wanted her to cook other things. What's wrong with only knowing how to prepare rice or cook eggs, or fry things! That's basically all she needed to know. If she wanted to learn new recipes, she would have done so by now. Shrugging the bitter thoughts, she continues preparing pork chops. 

"(Y/n) what made you think that running away from us was a good idea?" Gon asked her, finally speaking what's been bugging him. His concerned auburn eyes looked towards her form, finding her silence quite uncomfortable. Sure everyone was busy doing their own thing but seeing that she was kinda quiet herself? From his first impressions of her, she was a loud mouth like him! "Honestly when I saw you weren't around, I thought you got trampled or something."

The teen perked up, finding that Gon was talking to her. Sparing him a smile, she continues with her work. "I didn't think my idea would work but I'm glad that it did though! If I couldn't manage to kill him in time, I probably wouldn't be up here with you guys." A giggle leaves (Y/n) as she starts her fire. "Well I'm here now! And I'm still alive."

"You're a weirdo, (Y/n)-" Killua muttered, turning the pork that was roasting over a fire. His statement made the teenage female turn her head towards him.

"You don't gotta say it twice. I know I'm weird. You're a weirdo too. Talking about touching guts and liking it. Grossss." 

"You didn't let me finish. You're a weirdo but you're like.." The albino stopped himself for a moment, his fork poking the pork he roasted, "You're a good kinda weird. Well I mean everyone here is weird. Gon over there? Too happy..ya know." The male was starting to open up a little bit. He was starting to get comfortable talking to this bunch of people. Other strangers however? It's awkward to talk to them, so he doesn't ever really talk to anyone else. 

"If that's the case I'll take that as a compliment! You're weird talking about guts butttt I'll take that back."

"Hey- I can't help but be happy all the time, Killua! Unlike you I smile more! Did you know that you get more wrinkles if you frown a lot?" Gon chimed in, laughing a little. "I'm kidding."

(Y/n) sat back on the counter, giggling along with her friend as she saw a soft blush on Killua's face. It made her tilt her head to the side before she snickered to herself. Ah..that was odd. He's probably not used to the attention. A grin graces her face as she looked at the pork chops that she roasted over the fire pit. Unfortunately there wasn't a pan that she could find..just a stick to roast the pork on. It was good enough. The girl didn't have time to marinate the pig! Meaning that there's only just salt and pepper on it! For sure it would never pass..then again she was never gonna grow up to be a culinary hunter in the first place!

The teen kicks her feet as she felt her stomach grumble. Now it was her turn to have a blush decorate her face. She was hoping that it wasn't that loud, but it proved to be different when she saw Killua look her way. 

"You're hungry again? Didn't you just eat candy though." 

"Well it wasn't enough. It was just a couple of pieces, obviously it wouldn't help!"

(Y/n) pushed herself off of the table to turn the pork, finding that one side was...close to burning. It was overcooked but it wasn't burnt. That was good. A sigh leaves her as she stares at the food. Thoughts about eating it..made her want to take a piece. Her eyes continue to stare at the rotating pork but she ultimately decided no. It would ruin her entry to the exam. She could tell that Menchi was a perfectionist. The woman just gave off those vibes. The girl shrugged her shoulders as she put her backpack down on the counter. She looked through the contents, finding a small apple inside. Was there decoration points in this phase? Maybe there was. A hum leaves hes as she grabbed a knife and cut the fruit. Well..it was small, sure, but it was probably enough. 

"Hey how long do you think I've gotta roast this till its cooked?" Killua asked, making everyone turn their head towards them. There was a sly smile on Leorio's face as he looked at the younger teen.

"Depends on how good you insult it." Leorio starts snickering to himself. He thought that it was brilliant joke! 

"Really? Dad jokes?" The teen dressed in white asked, smiling along at how dumb it was. 

"Well you gotta start young, kid!"

No matter how dumb that joke was, it managed to make (Y/n) laugh a little bit. She shook her head, finding that her humor has certainly deteriorated to the point where she found that stupid thing funny. Their chatter remains as they prepared their entry for the exam. One by one people were getting called up with to present their cooked meals to the examiners, only to be turned down by Menchi. The other one, Buhara, seemed to enjoy every meal! He gobbled every item that he's given. 

(Y/n) had her plate ready to give out to the two, finding that she grows nervous with every step. Her hands hold the platter that she had her pork chops in. They look stale..but that's because there weren't enough spices given to her. Gulping in her nervousness she stared at the two examiners, a smile spread across her face. Buhara took one of the pork chops, eating it, giving it a little taste before he gave his judgement. When he lifted an "OK" sign in the air, she felt a little relieved, but now it was time for Menchi to taste it. 

The teal haired woman glares at the girl. She was among one of the voices she heard earlier. Her lips remained a pout as she grabbed a piece with her fork. With just a push, she could tell if it was cooked or not. This one, however, was not burnt and the consistency of the meat wasn't bad either. By the looks of it however, it was super bland. There wasn't a good color to it..so she wasn't even going to take a taste at all. Menchi grabs the usual sign that she gave everyone, a big red "X" mark. 

The teenage girl took the time to process the information, as disbelief washes over her. _The woman didn't even give her food a taste!_ What kind of bullshit is that! There was a clear pout on (Y/n)'s face as she walked away with her rejected plate of porkchops. She dumped the plate on the counter, letting it bounce a little. She was lucky that none flew out of there. The (H/C) haired female hopped up on the counter once more, the cauldron of feelings she had boiled with anger. Her legs kicked around, hitting the wood with her heels.

"What kind of bullshit is that?" (Y/n) muttered, crossing her arms, "She didn't even taste my food! She just touched it, looked at it, and then just said _no_! What the hell!" The girl ranted about the small matter, earning curious looks from her group mates. Leorio leaned on the counter, agreeing with that she said. He said things to himself under his breath, shaking his head afterwards. There was a pout on Killua's face as he stood still, looking at his prepared meal. He shrugged his shoulders again, sighing. 

There was no use to keeping this if no one is gonna eat it. Even he didn't wanna try out the food that he made. 

Dumping out the contents out somewhere, he let the plate sit on the tabletop. He spares a look towards the other around him, sighing once more. "This part is rigged. She got angry and she's letting that be her judge. She can't do that. We're not even gonna be those _culinary_ hunters that she praises so much."

"Yeah..she didn't even..taste my cooking. She just rejected me!" Gon whined, "I can't blame her though. I don't even think my cooking is appetizing." 

Kurapika looked at the depressed bunch, looking at the meal that he prepared. "Well..She looked at mine..she did get a bite of it, but she didn't like the taste. That's probably the closest I got to passing this test." 

Gon walks over to his friend and lightly pats his back. He tries his best to comfort his friends but he was discouraged as well. This test was unfair but he wasn't going to complain. He could probably wait another year.

In the distance, other examinees crowd the woman in question. They wave their fists in the air for a riot, letting their anger get to them as well. The five simply watched as other hot headed people start to approach Menchi, but ultimately fail when they were whacked by Buhara. The sight made (Y/n) smile a little, softly laughing at their stupidity. These were hunters that people faced, didn't they hear when the clown told them about that? Perhaps they didn't care about it. 

The fighting wasn't at all that necessary, as the commotion from below seemed to alert an airship to arrive down. The loud engines of the giant aircraft caused the fighting to stop, making everyone look at the person coming down through a large entrance. There stood an old man, leaning forward just a little, with a smile spread on his face. A friendly face such as his was quite a sight, though by his entrance, it was easy to point out that he might be a man with authority. 

The older man, who was later learned to be the Chairman of the board, scolded Menchi for her ways. The woman later apologized to everyone, bowing her head. She felt bad now that she realized that she failed everyone in the exam. 

"Now that this crisis is over, I will happily announce that you will all be able to redo the second phase of the exam. In the meantime, please allow yourselves to relax on the airship while we transport all of you to the site." Netero kept the smile on his face as he walked back in the aircraft. Other seemed to follow him in groups. 

(Y/n) kept herself stuck in the same group of people that she's been sticking with. There was a bright grin on her face as she looked around in the fancy airship. It was bigger on the inside! The space inside this place didn't even make sense but hey! It was a free ride in a giant aircraft! She's been on them before, yeah. Past memories of her father taking her to other places in the known world, only when he had a break..which was rare. It gave her bittersweet feelings, but she pushed all of those away. 

The teen turned around, shining the two boys that walked with her the usual smile she had on. "Yo yo we should totally explore this place. Who knows, maybe they might be hiding stuff here!" The girl was giddy with childish excitement, which Gon didn't seem to mind. Killua on the other hand looked at the the eager ones curiously, finding their giddiness odd. He's never seen people so happy to go around and look in a giant airship. The one wearing mostly green agreed to tag along with (Y/n), making them shift their gaze towards the quiet male.

"Before you ask me, I'm going." The albino spoke, a soft smile on his face. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked away. "I've got nothing better to do soooo why not?" Cat-like blue eyes spared auburn and (E/C) ones a glance, finding happiness when he said yes. It made his chest feel somewhat light..he felt comfortable being around them. Killua didn't know why that was happening, he wanted to know why that was happening, but that doesn't matter. There might not even be an answer to why he was feeling this way. 

"Great! Let's get to it then!" (Y/n) chimed, turning around to look at her two other companions. She gives them a grin and a wave, causing them to do the same. "Kurapia, Leorio, we're gonna go around! We'll meet up again when they announce that we've arrived." The teen's hand takes a hold of Killua and Gon's wrist, pulling them along with her to walk in the hallways.

The trio of weird teenagers took their time around, looking at every hallway, peeking in every open door they could find. A soft hum leaves the girl as she walked forward a couple of steps before she starts to turn to face her friends. She shows them the regular smile that never seemed to leave her face. "Soooo what do you think we'll find here? I'm thinking we might find ya know..dead bodies in one of these hallways. Who knows!" (Y/n) giggled, marching forward.

"As if.." Killua snickered, "You're probably more likely to find the kitchen of all things." 

"But there are still chances we _do_ find a dead body Killua. It might not be likely but it is possible!" Gon spoke, laughing along with them. He points to a dark and empty hallway that they were approaching. "What if there is one over there!"

"Pfft. As if! We've passed by a lot of dark hallways ya know. I doubt that there might be anything there." 

(Y/n) was silent for a moment, finding herself actually scared to find a dead body in the premises. But like what the other one said, there was absolutely no darn chance that there might be a corpse there right? "Oi oi I was just joking ya know-." Nervously she laughed along with them, her hand hold on to her other arm, lightly playing with her sleeves. The thought of just..that thing there. It wasn't likely at all! She wasn't sure why she was so nervous seeing a real dead body. She's seen it countless of times before in video games, how come she's growing anxious to approach that dark corridor?

Killua nudged the female's side for a moment, finding her somewhat unresponsive. His hand went around and tapped the other male on the shoulder before pointing at the quiet teenager. A thought came up in his mind, something that he thought was super funny. A sly smile decorates his pale face as he called Gon over to walk with him. Along the way there, they muttered and exchanged words, with the other agreeing to do what he wanted. Gon thought it was an innocent prank, so he might as well play along!

"Killua! Woah! It's a dead body!" The black haired teen screamed, pointing at something in a dark hallway. It made (Y/n) snap out of her thoughts, making her stop in her tracks. Her stomach develops butterflies, her gaze anxiously looks over to where the boys went off too. With a faux frightened expression, the albino agreed with him. Gon sent a glance at the shorter female, finding her slowly approaching them. He continues his act of looking scared, shocked, so that he could make her come over here.

It didn't take a while to get where they wanted her to be. Looking through the darkness, (Y/n) found that there wasn't anything there. She must have not realized that there was nothing here when she was scared earlier. With careful eyes she studied the area, putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey there's nothi-"

"Boo!" Gon and Killua said in unison.

"Ah!!" (Y/n) yelped. She pushes herself back, using her hands to transform the air around her. The air pushed her back. She gave herself more distance away from that place, her arms stuck in a defensive stance. Breathing in a little bit, she finally comes back to her senses to hear the two other teens she hung out with were snickering. A pout comes to the young woman's face as she lowered her guard. It was..harmless. Why was she so jumpy? Even she couldn't answer that herself. She thought playing all those horror games late at night made her immune to jumpscares but here she is! 

"Very _very_ funny you two." The (H/C) haired female walked to where they were, shaking her head. "Jeez what made you think that was a good idea?"

"It was Killua's plan! Not mine!"

"Hey! Why'd you rat me out like that so easily?" 

Tension rises and falls among the three as they all laughed off the incident. A smile spreads on all their faces as they continued the rest of their walk around. It shouldn't be long till they get to their destination right? Well..it's only been a couple of minutes..probably still the afternoon. The day seemed to last longer in these parts, but (Y/n) wasn't complaining. At the very least she was able to see where the aircraft was traveling to!

Leaning back and sitting down on one of the window side seats, the three teens continued to yap their mouths to pass the time. They didn't stop until someone's stomach started to grumble. It was coming from the only female in the group. Curious gazes fall on her as she looked away embarrassed about her stomach. So what if she's hungry? She might be able to keep herself like this for a while! It's wasn't a foreign concept to not eat sometimes..she's just gotten used to the idea of not eating as much food. Candy however? She'll eat those all the time!

Feeling a nudge on her right side, she finds Gon's gaze on her. "Sounds like you're hungry," the male laughed, pushing himself off the chair. He stretched a little, letting some of his joints pop. "We should find the cafeteria. They should have one here."

"I'm not really hungry." Killua muttered, standing up too, "but I'll tag along. I'll probably get something to snack on while I'm there." He looks at (Y/n) for a moment. She's still sitting down, admiring the clouds they passed by. She lingered there, standing up momentarily after. She stretches as well, finding that she's gotten too comfortable sitting down.

"Alright, let's go find the cafeteria!" Gon spoke, grabbing (Y/n)'s wrist and pulling her along with him. It made (Y/n) grab on to Killua's wrist, taking him along with her. The more energetic male took the lead. He didn't mind the contact! He sure didn't really think about it, but it seemed like everyone else was fine with it. It was seen as a friendly thing! Like what friends usually do when they want someone to go with them. They stick together!

The way there was sort of quiet, making it kinda awkward. They were all just pulling each other, walking at the same pace. A hum leaves the female as she looked behind her, finding that Killua was staring at her. The eye contact lingered for a moment, with both of them trying to read the other, before they broke it off. Does she dare bring up a conversation with him? What is there to talk about even?

Not paying attention to her surroundings, (Y/n) kept walking. The only thing that stopped her was when her body collided with Gon's, making her jump and take a couple of steps back. She lets go of the albino's arm as she saw that Gon had done the same with her hand. She was curious to why he suddenly stopped. Well she got her answer when she looked to the side. There, just beyond the clear glass doors was what looked like a cafeteria. There were people inside, chatting and eating. The thought of dining again..it made her smile. 

"Lets raid the cafeteria!" Gon spoke, smiling at his friends. Killua's eyes brightened when he heard those words, racing the other male inside. Once again, the female was left behind to process why they even dashed inside in the first place. Cutting herself off from dozing off, she walked inside. The first thing that she saw was the sight of the two males and their grabby hands..actually raiding the cafe. She watched them buzz around like busy bees, shaking her head and laughing.

It was all fun and games until Killua approached the junk food cart. There she saw him take as much chicken nuggets and fries, basically leaving nothing behind. Oh no no that's not gonna get by with her! Getting competitive as well, (Y/n) grabbed a plate and took some of the leftovers. Her (E/C) eyes connected with the albino's blues before they both focused on getting as much junk food as possible.

The results weren't at all surprising. Killua did get a head start...so there was a little bit on her plate. She figured that it was enough for her to last through the rest of the day. Who knows! Maybe they'll come back on this ship again! The girl went to look for her other friend, finding him already munching on some of his food. Gon sat by a window, the table he took had enough chairs for everyone. There he was already munching on a fish stick, eating as much as possible. It was weird how he didn't choke on his own food. Shaking her head, (Y/n) walks to where he was, taking a seat beside him. 

"Oh! You guys are here! I went to get a table so we didn't have to look." Gon said, though his words were hard to understand at first. He talked as he ate. "You guys should get to eating! I doubt we'll have any time left here!"

Right...right. Their time here was indeed limited. They were only relaxing because this was a break from the exam. (Y/n) was hoping that the reformed version of this exam wasn't something that'll make her queasy. She'd hate to lose all this food and have to eat again. Her hands take pieces of her fries, taking in some chicken nuggets as well. "Hey have you guys seen any drinks around? I don't wanna waste my water. I hope they have some soda or something."

Killua and Gon looked at each other before they shift their gaze as the rest of the room. Both of them get up, making the girl tilt her head. She turned around to find that both of them were walking towards the soda machine. (Y/n) stood up as well but she was stopped by Gon. 

"Who's gonna look after the food?"

"I guess its me.." (Y/n) sighed, slumping over, "Just get me (F/D), large with ice."

Gon nodded, meeting up with Killua at the drinks dispenser.

Now that she was alone...she could possibly take some of their food as revenge! A sly smirk places itself on the teen's face as she took some of Gon's food and some of Killua's food. She shoves them in her mouth quickly, chewing and swallowing as fast as she could without looking suspicious. (Y/n) ate some of her food too as she waited, making sure that it looked like she was close to finishing their food! Ohohoho they would think wrong!

Meanwhile the boys seemed to have their own plans. Gon happily grabbed two cups and handed them to Killua so he could hold it. The taller male seemed to question the other's ways. "Oi..why do I have to hold two?"

"you're closer to the drink she wants." The black haired boy pointed at the label that had the drink. There in big bold letters was the name of the girl's preferred drink. Killua sighed at the sight, shaking his head and approaches it. "She kinda wants ice too."

"Why don't you get it for her?"

"Well I mean you're already right _next_ to it, why would I have to go over there?" Gon lightly laughs, "If it makes you feel better, I'll bring it to her."

Killua was silent for a moment, watching the drink fill up the glass cup. Ice floats above, bouncing around a little. He needs some time to think about it. Just a couple of seconds would do. "I'll do it." The other male he was with simply nodded his head and started to head back. Thoughts started to crowd his head, asking mostly why he said he was gonna do it? Well..that was..the _friendly_ thing to do right? Yeah..it should be.

Both Gon and Killua approached the girl who appeared to be having a blast eating most of her food. The sight made Gon laugh again, sitting down and placing his cup down beside his plate. At first he didn't notice anything. What he mostly saw was (Y/n)'s plate almost empty. He didn't see Killua's plate either, so he didn't think that anything went down when they weren't around.

The albino however, was different than the other boy in the table. His hands grabbed for the chicken nuggets that he knew he placed down on top of the heaping pile of fries he picked from the counters. He was surprised to find nothing there! A frown quickly decorates his face as he looked at Gon's plate too. There were some stuff missing there too. Putting all of those things together, and the fact that (Y/n) was the only one left in the table...AHA! 

There was a smirk on Killua's lips as he looked at (Y/n), snickering to himself. "Oi Gon don't you think you're missing some things from your plate?" 

When that specific question went up in the air, the girl who sat in the same table as them started to sweat. Her hands grabbed more of her food, munching on it, avoiding eye contact with them as much as possible. Oh what will happen when they find out it was her that ate their food! Well..honestly it's probably not that big of a deal. (Y/n) tried to calm herself down, expressing her emotions through a fake grin on her face. She sipped on some of her soda.

"Missing something?" Gon's auburn eyes look at his food for a moment, realizing that someone took some of his chicken tenders. That was weird...sure he ate some earlier but he was sure that he had more earlier. "Yeah..I think I'm missing some stuff.."

"And look who's lookin guilty. You took my stuff didn't ya?" Cat-like eyes look towards the smaller girl who sat in the middle. "You know thieves get punished for their crimes _right?_ " 

(E/C) colored eyes looked away from the two, staring at her lap and laughing nervously. Whatever could they be talking about? Yeah sure it was nice to have some payback but really she was starting to regret it. Mustering up all the confidence that she could, she returned the gazes sent at her. She sent them a smile, shaking her head. "So what if I did steal your food? What are you planning to do huh?"

"Oh I dunno... _something_. You'll never know (Y/n). It might just happen in the next phase, or maybe in the next month, or lets say..in the next couple of days!" Killua snickered, turning his attention to Gon, "Isn't that right Gon? You are gonna get her back for taking your food right?"

"I'm in! Ya know (Y/n) you should have just asked for my food! I feel like you're really asking for that!" 

"I know I know, revenge bites people back in the ass." The girl stuck her tongue out at the boys before laughing a little, "Even if you're gonna scare me again, I'll be prepared! I'll be ready for it!"

" _Sureeeee."_

The three teens were cut off once an announcement was made over the speakers. "Attention all examinees! You have arrived at your destination! Please make your way to the entrance of the aircraft and we'll shortly open the doors for all of you."

(E/C), auburn, and sea blue eyes sparkle as they all looked at each other. Smiles spring up to their faces, expressing their excitement for the second phase. Gon, Killua, and (Y/n) stood up and stretched, making sure that they were prepared for the second one. Two of them helped to clean up the plates and the glasses to make it easier for the workers to take. Killua watched them silently, finding it weird that they would want to help someone out with that. It's that worker's job..why are they doing it for them? These are a bunch of weirdos. Or maybe..he's the weirdo. No no..they're the weird ones.

The trio rallies up with the two other teens back at the entrance. Everyone on board met with a high sky. Trees were not in sight but the ground around them was flat. There was a great distance that stretched around, but there was a split. There a canyon rests, splitting the rock that the examinees stand on. Wind sweeps around all over, lightly pushing against the skin. (Y/n) looked all over, finding that everyone has crowded Menchi and Netero, who surveyed the second phase.

"For this new second phase, we will be getting what is called a Spider-Eagel's eggs. They are a delicacy around the world and most fancy restaurant cook them. But you may be asking, were do they get the eggs? Well we culinary hunters provide them with it of course! I'll demonstrate how we do the process, so please watch carefully!" Menchi was in a better mood than before. Perhaps the break really did help her out. The woman starts off walking before she continues to a run. Her body disappears in between the split of the mountain. Everyone rushes to her.

Menchi could be seen hanging on to a web. There were sacks of eggs dangling from the web. The examiner lingers on, waiting for a gust of wind. Everyone up above doesn't notice it but she did. Within a heartbeat, she drops herself down the canyon, her hands grabbing one of the eggs in the bunch that she approached. Anticipation falls in the crowd as they waited. Like how Menchi predicted, wind throws her up, letting her land back on her feet with the giant egg in her hands. A triumphant smile graces the woman's features as she looked at the different expressions on the examinees' face. 

(Y/n) stands still, her eyes a little wide at how that all played out. They expect her to jump in that big canyon just to get a stupid egg?! Gulping in, she stares at her friends, finding that they all had a different reaction. They were excited to jump, in fact, it seems like they wanna jump first! The girl stood her ground, holding on to the straps of her bag tightly. She's gotta do this but her gut is twisting and turning with fear that it's affecting her legs as well. 

"Oi." Killua said, snapping his fingers in front of the shorter teen's eyes. "You're dozing off. We're gonna jump." The male tilts his head to the side as he finds her in a daze. She doesn't wanna snap out of it huh? He waved his hand in front of her, causing the rest of the group to look at her as well. Gon looked at her curiously, finding that she was stuck there in her place. Might she be...scared of heights? Well people have their own fears, he guessed. The one clothed in green touched her shoulder, causing her to shift her attention to something else.

"W-Wha?" (Y/n) asked, shaking her head. She finds that her friends were all looking at her, trying to understand what was going on with her at the moment. Her eyes widen a little as she stepped back, a nervous smile across her face. "Right..we're gonna jump right?" 

Everyone nodded their head but then they looked at each other. Gon was the first to speak of his worries. "If you don't jump you won't pass this phase (Y/n)." 

"I know... I'm jumping." The girl spoke, trying to erase the feeling of fear. Well she knew that heights weren't really a problem for her. It was the thought of falling down and never coming up that scared her. She's fine with heights as long as she never looks down. (Y/n) remembers how a couple of seconds earlier someone fell to their death here. They were foolish..they didn't wait for an air draft. That'll never happen to her. She knew how to get around..she might even make it anyway.

"Let's..go." 

Their small group of five jumped off the cliff, each hanging on to the string. They were bunched up together, finding that it's better to stay this way. It comforting (Y/n) a little, but she could feel her heart was still beating fast. She told herself to not look down, keep her gaze on anything or anyone, just not down at the abyss! (E/C) colored eyes kept themselves still on the sight of her friend, Gon. The male was focused on this..it looked like he wasn't scared at all. The girl was quite envious of that.

Everyone else that managed to muster their confidence followed them, adding weight on the Spider-Eagle's web. It continued to pull down, trying to support the weight of everyone. She could feel the sides of the webs slowly detaching from the cliff side, making her look to the end of the web. It was snapping slowly..it was failing to hold the weight of everyone on it. (Y/n) could feel her heart rate increasing just at the sight, her hands tightly holding on to the web. Her palms were sweaty, her grip was loosening up. The longer they waited, the more unstable the string will be. 

"Gon can't you like- tell when the wind is gonna go up or something?!" Leorio yelled, his head turning towards the one he called out to. Gon didn't give him a response..he said nothing at all. The male was also getting quite worried about the thing they held on to. The web was gonna break soon because people thought that it was such a _good_ idea to jump at the same time as them! Tensions rise within the group of examinees as they continued to hang on, each stem of the web was breaking off of the wall. It all washed down when Gon caught everyone's attention.

"Now!" 

It turned into a free fall after that. Eveyone grabbed an egg on the way down. (Y/n) was clinging on to the egg but she made sure not to break it in her arms. It would be bad if she gotten egg goop in her arms. She could feel the wind around her change form, finding that she used her nen subconsciously. Relief washes over her as she felt a strong gust of wind push her up, along with the others that dropped down with her. She gave herself an extra boost to ensure that she will actually reach the ground. It would be really _really_ bad if she didn't get up there. The girl flew over the heads of her friends, making her land on her bottom. 

"Ow..." (Y/n) muttered, prying her eyes open. She finds that she's back on the ground with the egg still in her hands. A sigh of relief leaves her mouth as she hung her head low. "I'm never doing that again.." The teen sits there, waiting for her heart rate to go down. It felt like she'll get a heart attack or something. After a while, she stands up and dusts her bottom. It would be embarrassing if there were marks there. A hum leaves her as she turned around, finding Killua staring at her. (Y/n) didn't even notice him at all.

"Don't think I didn't see you earlier. You flew." The male started off. His hands were shoved in his pockets, his gaze kept on her. He squints at her, trying to read her expression, but all he saw was that she was equally as confused as him. There could only be one explanation to her weirdness and that was magic! There was no other way to prove it! "You're magic or something. Give up hiding it, I know what you are already." Killua was getting annoyed that he couldn't understand a reasonable answer.

"I'm not _magic_ though Killua. You won't get it even if I try to explain it to you!" (Y/n) spoke back, walking away from him. She wants to unite back with Gon, ignoring the other's persistence. Even if she did try to explain nen, she wouldn't be able to teach them at all! The girl still needed training too!

"You can still try, you know that."

"Later." 

(Y/n) walks away from the male, reuniting with Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio. Killua lingered there for a moment. Oh? A girl just said no to him? Well anyone can do that. Mumbling words to himself, the albino shook it off and went back to the group that he was getting fond of. They all cooked their eggs in a single pot of boiling water. Well it was a barrel sized pot so of course it all fits there. Those who managed to cook their eggs had passed the second phase of the exam. However those who did not get their eggs were sent back home in a separate aircraft. There were only a couple of people left in the hunter exam. Although it was getting difficult by the minute, (Y/n) was positive that she'll pass this exam, just as long as she sticks to these people.

Nothing will get in her way.

She hoped.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Keep on skillfully going up and down, come on “heave-ho-heave ho" ."

So it was back to the airship. The second phase has just been finished and the examinees left over were being transported to where the third phase would be. It was quite odd...everyone rode an airship at least two times today and it was all for free! This is the most (Y/n)'s been on a zeppelin like this and she's mostly having fun here! A hum leaves the girl as she looked at her four companions. Two of them were eager to go around again while the other seemed to worry about getting some rest. A short, stubby man approaches them before they could disperse. There was a sly smile on his face.

Tonpa.

"Even if the chairman said we could get some rest, I wouldn't trust him if I were you." The man said, snickering lightly. He had his hand on his bag while the other was on his hip. The only female in the group was starting to piece together why he was so persistent on getting them worried about the exam. Tonpa wants all of them to fail. (Y/n) shook her head and leaned back, putting most of her weight on one leg as she puts her hands on her hips.

"Oh yeah? Why not?" The teen replied, a pout decorating her face. Her (E/C) eyes glare at the shorter male, quite annoyed at how kept his act going. Why can't his stubby ass bother someone else? There are literally other rookies out there. The girl starts tapping her feet, her eyes never leaving Tonpa. For a moment, there was silence, but the older male broke it.

"You might fall asleep and then you might wake up and there'll be no one left on the plane." The male clad in blue started to get serious as well. He also held a frown on his features. He found the girl bothersome as well. She was certainly not one to care about his false warnings, but there were the others too. His brown eyes looked at the different males around (Y/n). Some had curious expressions while others seemed a little worried.

Leorio took a step forward, suspicious to why Tonpa was only telling them this information. He leaned down, trying to get to the shorter male's level. There was a pout slapped on his face as he kept his gaze on him. "How are we supposed to trust you on that huh? You probably don't have any proof don't ya?"

"I've been in this exam many times before. Trust me they'll do that to you too."

"Don't." (Y/n) stepped in, "He's lying. Why would you believe a man that tried to give you a soft drink that had laxatives in it?" 

"Did I say that I trusted him?" Leorio looked at (Y/n) now that they were about the same distance away from Tonpa. He stood up straight, holding his briefcase over his shoulder. The glance they had with each other grew tension between them and to avert that, they both looked away. They give Tonpa a glance, glaring at him. 

"Get lost." (Y/n) and Leorio said in unison, pulling off their dirtiest look together. Even if (Y/n) wasn't the tallest in the bunch, she sure as hell can beat up someone who's shorter than her.

The stubby older male shrugged his shoulders after the female told him to go away. He may look disappointed on the outside but in the inside of his brain, he was well over annoyed how those two pushed him away. He didn't seem to catch the attention of other three in the group as they were all looking at the ones who gave him a mean look. Tonpa shook his head, trying his not to think about them anymore. Even if he pursues that group, there's always gonna be those two that would wanna stop him. 

As soon as Tonpa left them alone, (Y/n) let out a short sigh. She released some tension by shaking her head, trying her best to calm down. How dare that man try and convince them all to be worried about being left behind! There would definitely be an announcement or something! Why should she get worried about that?

Kurapika looks at both of his companions, finding that one was pissed off while the other was trying to calm herself down. He was glad that at least Leorio got to see through that obvious trick. He already didn't trust Tonpa and he was sure that the other didn't either. That was a good sign. He didn't have to point out something that was so easy to see. With a hum he looks at the rest of them, a smile spread across his face. The energetic trio can do whatever they want...Kurapika was going to get some more rest.

"Hey, I'm gonna go get some more sleep." The blonde spoke, smiling at his friends. He let out a yawn before he waves a goodbye. He was off to go to the applicants' quarters and rest for the evening. He didn't dare think about what Tonpa was talking about earlier. Kurapika walks off into a hallway, leaving the four behind. 

Leorio looked at the trio and then towards Kurapika. Maybe it was a good idea to follow him and then go to sleep. It seemed right to do. The teens much younger than him probably have better things to do anyway. He doubts that any of them will be sleeping soon. The premed took a look at his watch, finding that it was only 8 pm. He figures. The sun set earlier and the moon had just recently decorated the sky. He carried his briefcase over his shoulder and walked away. "I'm gonna sleep. See ya youngsters later." 

(Y/n), Gon, and Killua looked at each other and then at the older male. The girl wanted to sleep too as she found herself getting tired by just standing here. There was a feeling in her gut however that's been telling her to stay where they were at, probably walk around with the two boys that she stood in between of. Her (E/C) colored eyes looked up at the taller teens, finding that they were still looking at Leorio. They all watched him walk away. The teenage girl shrugged her shoulders and started walking forward so that she could be in front of Killua and Gon. 

"You guys wanna walk around again? It's still pretty early ya know." (Y/n) takes a look at her watch too. It had just turned 8, they still had some time to kill. A hum leaves her as she sent her friends a soft smile. "We still have some time to kill. You guys wanna eat again?"

Gon and Killua looked at each other. One had a grin as well but the other? Not so much. His face was indifferent compared to the two. Killua had to put consideration to her offer, even if they did eat earlier. Was he hungry? Had he been hungry at all? His senses were quite empty at the moment, but that doesn't mean he can't hang with them. He wasn't sure why he had a strange attraction to them. Of course as he was someone who didn't have any friends growing up..this was all odd to him. He contemplated there for a moment, keeping himself quiet.

(Y/n) looked up at Gon who was totally on board with dining in the cafeteria again. They just had to wait and see if Killua was gonna go too. This was pretty normal for a bunch of friends to hang out and eat together. She's done it before in the past. She used to hang out with some of the boys in her old, small town. It was nearly considered a village because of how rural those parts were. A hum leaves the female teen as she looked at her friend. They waited...and waited. 

"I'll go."

That was enough of an answer to make the two teens happier than they were before. It didn't take long for the trio to find their way to the cafeteria again. This time was different than the last, as it seems that the boys didn't want to raid the cafeteria again. That was a relief for the staff on board as they didn't have to cook as fast to fulfill the needs of the examinees. 

They had different meals for the evening. (Y/n) had gotten what she usually ate at home for dinner, Gon had fried fish, while Killua had steak. Their usual chatter revolved around how everyone was doing and what had happened during the second phase. Everything seemed to go smoothly and their talk was lighthearted and happy. Well that is until Killua decided to speak about something that's been bothering him about (Y/n).

"Now would be a good time to explain your magic, (Y/n)." Killua spoke about it casually, biting into a piece of steak that he cut out. His cat-like eyes never left the sight of her. Neither did Gon's gaze either.

Gon wondered if anything happened to them earlier. He did see the both of them quietly talking to themselves before they boiled their eggs earlier. Speaking of magic..the boy also pondered what made (Y/n) land farther away from them. Perhaps she was lighter than them, but still, the wind would probably land her closer to them. Where she landed was way far off from them. Probably around 10 to 15 feet away from them. Gon was never good with estimations..but..it did seem like that was a good distance away from the group. 

(Y/n) noticed that it was now two to one..and she was the one. A sigh leaves her as she takes another bite of her meal. Her stomach boils with anxiety as she tried to think of a way to avoid this question. How was she going to tell them about nen if she can't understand what it was either?! All she got from her uncle's lessons were that nen had something to do with someone's aura but she can't quite explain how she can manipulate air. Her lips arch up into a frown as she looks away from them, her eyes focusing on her platter.

"I'm not magic though, Killua. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm _not_ some sort of magician." The girl fussed, "Like I said before, even _I_ can't explain what the hell is up with me. I just..have it."

"Give it a try. I'll try to understand." The albino was persistent in trying to get answers to the question that's been irritating him. He has yet to learn what nen was, which is why he only saw the girl as magic. Of course there might be magic in the world and he would try to understand why it was like that. He frowns again as he eats more of his food. 

"Later."

"You always say that."

"H-Hey how about we finish our food first! And then maybe we can walk around like (Y/N) suggested!" Gon chimed in, finding that the topic was really pressuring the girl. He could tell that Killua was pressing her for answers to a subject that he didn't get either. He didn't ponder what the teenage girl did a lot. It would occasionally be the main thought in his mind, yes, but he'll never really force someone to answer. Killua seemed used to the idea of getting answers from people immediately. A hum leaves the boy clad in green as he sipped on his cup.

Killua and (Y/n) looked at each other, their gazes linger there for a moment before the turn their heads to look at Gon. They both nodded to the idea of walking around after dinner. The trio wasn't really in a hurry to finish so they took their time eating and chatting, the light atmosphere coming back to them. 

After a while of dining, the trio clean up their plates and headed outside where they take a stroll around. It was clear that it was night just by looking outside. They were well above the clouds. Not a sign of those fluffy looking bunch of water droplets. A hum leaves (Y/n) as she walked to a seat beside the window. There she stares at the stars that were visible. The moon shined brightly, illuminating the clouds below. 

It was calm..for once. It gave her time to think about the hunter exam so far. As she expected, it was ok. It wasn't overly easy, nor was it super hard to complete. She could tell that the difficulty increases with each phase. The second phase was probably her least favorite as she didn't like the thought of falling at such a high place. That one had cooking in it too. The first phase to her was pretty okay though, as it was just running. Endurance wasn't her best trait out there but she did manage to get by just fine. A soft sigh leaves the female as she kept her gaze at the stars. The girl rests her head on her arms, leaning forward to get more comfortable. 

There was silence among the friends as they took this time to contemplate, or just to rest after a hearty meal. Eventually it would be broken by a certain albino. Killua rests his chin on his palm, his cat-like eyes staring at the abyss that people called the night sky. Even if his attention wasn't directly at his companions, he still spoke. 

"I guess it's the right time to tell you guys. It'll make things somewhat fair between us." The albino gulps in his nervousness. His actual feelings weren't seen by the two as his indifferent facial features masked it. His fingers close in to his palm as he made himself more comfortable. 

"I come from a family of assassins." Killua started off, "They..weren't great. I don't really like them as much..that's all I can say about them. Didn't even give me the slightest bit of freedom..just..kept me doing jobs here and there. Not that I minded. They told me I was born into this sort of thing so I never really questioned them. Well that is until recently. Had to stab my mom and my brother just to get away from them." 

A scoff leaves the taller male, shaking his head in the process. The memory played out in his mind. Man..was it so good getting a stab on his mom. It wasn't disturbing to him really. His very own mother didn't want him going away from her and well, he's had enough of that life. He did run away but he had enough money from all the jobs he's been doing. Signing up for the hunter exam is probably the next best thing to a getaway vacation from work. 

"Were you under their control?" (Y/n) asked, turning her head to look at Killua. "Shouldn't you be at an age where you can do whatever you want?" Honestly hearing that he was from a family of assassins kinda surprised her. That would explain why he was never tired from running nor was he scared of falling. He's probably been through a lot. However something bothered her. If he's an assassin shouldn't he know what nen is by now? Most people who were in that kind of field probably had some knowledge about nen. Nen can be used for anything, it can also aid in murder. Maybe his family's keeping that idea away from him too.

"They won't let me out of the house. It was a pain in the ass honestly but hey, I got away from them for now." Killua shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno if they'll find me here. I doubt they'll mess with the hunter exam." 

"What are you gonna do if they _do_ find you here Killua?" Gon asked, tilting his head to the side. The boy was quite interested in his story. He didn't expect someone like Killua to come from a family of killers! That was quite different from his background. He just lived a nice, quiet life in an island that focused on fishing. (Y/n) seemed to have the same as him too. She did say that she lived in a village off of a city somewhere. 

"If they find me?" Killua spoke again, sighing, "I'll probably just leave again. I think I can get around here. Doubt there would be any civilization around here though. It seems we're pretty far off from any city. If they _do_ find me though, I'm probably screwed." A laugh comes from him, trying to shake off the thought of anyone in his family trying to find him. If it were his dad or his grandfather..he'll have to obey. Even if it's his older brother, he would probably leave the exam too. 

Everyone turns their head to look at the sky once more. Now that once peaceful silence was now quite tense. The thought of someone taking Killua bothered (Y/n)'s mind. He was in a controlling household..he should have the freedom to do whatever the hell he wanted. She was in one too and she took the chance to leave the home. She left her Aunt's house years ago. The girl could still remember how it felt to finally be able to breathe without smelling the horrible stench of alcohol.

Just by thoughts alone, it made the teenage girl tense. Her lips arched into a soft frown as she rested her head on her arms. The trio lingers there for a moment before they all leave that spot. That was a shame..(Y/n) was getting used to sitting on that seat. It made her feel relaxed a little. It also somewhat made her sleepy. A yawn comes from her mouth as she started walking with the boys, her eyes getting slightly droopy. Perhaps she should rest. Nah Nah..they still have some time!

Gon noticed her odd behavior. (Y/n) was slowing down, she was trailing them now. Killua didn't pay mind to it but Gon sure did. The black haired boy looked at his friend and then at the other, finding the sight somewhat concerning. She continues to walk along with them even if she's clearly drowsy. He stops for a moment to discuss the matter with her.

"Are you not gonna go sleep (Y/n)?" Gon asked, sending her a soft smile. He leans back, his hands pulling on the straps of his backpack, "It looks like you're kinda sleepy! You should head to bed you know." 

(Y/n) cuts herself off from her drowsiness, going back to full alert mode when Gon asked her a question. She shakes her head as an answer before she speaks. "I'm fine! Just..a little sleepy that's all." Her (E/C) colored eyes look to the watch on her wrist, finding that it was only 10 pm. That was still kinda early. She remembers back in her uncle's home, whenever she didn't have schoolwork, she would always play video games all night. On some occasions she plays so much that she ends up sleeping at around 6 am. How come she was tired now? It should have been her peak energy hours right now.

Maybe she was tired from doing all this stuff from the hunter exam. It was the only answer to that question in her mind. 

"Just leave her be, Gon." Killua said, "We can't force her to do what she doesn't want. She won't budge." 

The shorter male nodded his head. He lingered there for a moment, waiting for (Y/n) to get back to her senses. Even if she did look sleepy, if she says she's fine then she's fine. They'll still let her tag along with them. A hum leaves Gon as he continued walking. The girl was trailing them again. Their chatter was less engaging as there was one less responsive party in the group. Their voices weren't as loud as before. 

The trio was stopped after a couple of minutes of walking. Killua was the first, followed by Gon and then (Y/n). Something passed by them. All three of them saw that happen, but they couldn't figure out what it was or who it was. It went by super fast...but it didn't go unnoticed by them. (Y/n) might not have been a superhuman but with the help of her nen constantly flowing around her, her hearing had been amplified. She heard footsteps loud and clear because someone walked around them so close. 

"You guys saw that right?" The albino broke their silence. Everyone turned to him, nodding in agreement to what he said. He shifts his body to face the hallway that had no lights in it for some reason. 

"Oh! You mean I'm not the only one who saw that?" Gon spoke, rising a brow.

"Well obviously. We all stopped ya know, Gon." (Y/n) spoke, placing her hands on her hips. She was fully awake now. Her drowsiness left her body as soon as she felt someone else's presence in the corridor with her friends. There wouldn't really be anyone else who's awake right now. Unless there are fellow insomniacs around, or there are still people with a bit more energy. 

Killua was getting ticked off as the minutes pass by. "Oi. We know you're here. Show yourself already." The male demanded. He approached the corridor, his hands ready to attack anyone that was out to get them. He couldn't possibly be followed by anyone..no one should know that he took the hunter exam anyway. It can't be any of his family members that are hiding in the darkness. 

They linger there, waiting for someone to pop out. Someone did eventually pop out of the dark hallway and it was the chairman of the board. That was weird...why would he be stalking them? A hum leaves (Y/n) as she shook her head. She could feel her drowsiness wash over her again. At least she didn't have to worry about anyone attacking her. She didn't even know enough people in this exam to have them angry at her.

A hearty laugh comes from Netero, quite astonished that they were all able to see him. This batch is certainly an interesting one! Perhaps all that waiting was worth it. A hum leaves the older man as he walked forward, approaching the trio of teenagers. "You three are very perceptive. I'm quite surprised by that! Most people wouldn't even notice me get by!" Netero chuckled. He later shook his head and revealed his hands. There sat a ball. It continued to spin on his finger.

"I've got a game for you three. The rules are very simple. If you manage to get this ball from my hands you all will get an automatic pass in the exam. That'll mean you get to leave early." A hum comes from the old man, his smile shining brightly. 

Something about that offer didn't strike the girl well. Get the ball from his hands and they get a pass? Sounds a little _too good_ to be true. It must have some credibility since it was coming from the chairman himself but..there must be something up. (E/C) colored eyes softly glare at the older man before she closes them. A sigh leaves her as she propped her back up straight, stretching and yawning to push her drowsiness away. Might as well participate for a little bit. (Y/n) wants to know if there's a catch to this simple task. 

"I'm in!" Gon answered, a little excited to play a game. Even if he may be a little too old to play games, it didn't hurt to embrace his inner childish giddiness.

Killua and (Y/n) looked at Gon, then they looked at each other. The girl mouthed out the words "are you gonna go too?" to the albino. Her fingers point forward, saying by _going_ she meant going with Mr. Netero. Killua nodded his head. Of course he won't back down from a challenge. It was a good opportunity to show off his skills to his friends and he'll probably impress them! 

Wait...Why did he care so much of impressing them? His thoughts start to get cloudy, getting troubled by the minute. He was now wondering why he wanted to make them proud of him for doing something. A voice in his head was telling him that it's what he's always wanted. The boy has gotten praise before, yes, but those felt different than friends saying _"good job"_ to you. Killua's hands turned into fists as he looked away, averting his eyes away from everyone. "I guess I'll go too." He muttered out.

"Ah...I wanna play that game too!" (Y/n) smiled, finding that everyone is now on board with that. 

Netero nodded, chuckling at their different expressions. They were certain an odd bunch of teens. Really this years applicants were quite different in their own way. He'd been looking at everyone's progress so far. Those who took this exam more than once had experienced growth. Number 44, Hisoka, especially seemed to have a change in his ways since the last time he's applied. Humming comes from the old man as he led the three teens to a padded room with a wooden floor. It was to make sure that no one could hear them nor could they suddenly hit their heads on the walls and get a concussion or something. Well the wooden floor was a hazard too, but no one should be diving down anytime soon.

(Y/n) places her small travel backpack down in a corner, making Gon do the same. The girl stretched to get ready to play the game. She doubts that it'll be easy though. Even if the chairman is an old man, she was sure that he was still as healthy as a young adult who constantly works out. In order to be a chairman, you have to have some sort of superhuman quality right?

They all stood in a row in front of Mr. Netero, who still spun the ball on his finger. The old man kept his regular grin as he looked at the teenagers. They don't seem nervous at all! One was eager to play, one seemed rather serious about the matter, while another was laid back. Letting out a soft laugh, he began to speak. 

"I've already told you the rules, which are quite easy to remember. Just try and get the ball from my hand! Simple right?" Netero's smile appeared to grow wider, his eyes closing. "On the count of three we'll start playing alright?" 

He starts to count down, starting with three. There was silence among the three teens. Two seemed determined to get that ball while (Y/n) stood still, trying to figure out what the trick was to this. Once it reached down to one, Killua and Gon immediately burst into a sprint. Both of them tried to get the ball from the chairman but they missed. The old man moved faster than the both of them. The girl simply stood there, watching. Even if she did say that she was playing, she wants to know what's up with Netero first. 

Her hands move around, shifting the air around them. It may be difficult to have a boost in her speed as there wasn't that much space here. There was a limited amount of air in here mostly because of how small the space was. She might have to depend on using more of her energy than clear gas around her. (E/C) follow the old man's movements with her eyes as Gon and Killua tried their best to get the ball. They each took turns, eventually both of them were on each side of Mr. Netero. The albino noticed how the girl was stationary. She should be moving too. 

"Oi. Are you not going to move?" Killua asked her, catching the teen's attention. Their gazes connected, staying there for a moment. 

"Give me a minute will you. I'm trying to read what this old man's next move is." 

"Suit yourself." 

A short conversation was enough to have the two boys rest up a little before they were at it again. (Y/n) continued to watch until she saw an opening where she predicted the ball might head to. There was a pattern really, but it looks like it randomizes everytime Gon or Killua got close to the ball. She waits..and waits..until she finds her chance.

Right when Netero puts the ball on the right side it was immediately taken as a sign to move. Giving herself a little air around the heels that act like little jets, she takes her run. (Y/n) jumps higher than she usually does due to her nen. She somersaults right above the ball, her hands try to get it but it was pulled down away from her. Landing back on her feet, she ends up across from the point she was at before. Her (E/c) eyes widen a little bit at how fast he was. For an old man..he surely had better speed than all three of them combined. The girl cursed to herself at the failed attempt to get the ball.

Netero lets out a chuckle as he looks at the trio who were on three sides of him. One was behind him now while the other two alternated between the left and right. That was kinda adorable at how determined they all were to get the ball. The girl was pretty clever to wait and catch him off guard like that. It was by the last second that he saw her coming towards him while one of the boys charged his way. The thought was funny to him. 

The room was still, with silence falling in the room. The trio all look at each other, nodding and agreeing that it should be done again, but this time it has to be coordinated or they'll never get the ball. (Y/n) plans on giving both of them a signal so that they can move together. While Gon and Killua provided as a distraction she can slide on the floor as she knew that he might put it down there. She won't use the same move twice. 

She counts down with her fingers. When it comes down to one, all three of them sprint towards the old man. As planned, Gon and Killua made it look like they were trying to get the ball. While Netero's hand did indeed go under the boys, it was moved towards him before (Y/n) to get the ball. Sliding on the floor didn't seem to help their case. The girl stands up from her previous position. There was burning on the side of her legs, making her grunt in pain. She rubs the area with her hands to try and relieve the pain. 

Once again (Y/n) was stationary. The two other boys seemed to keep on moving, changing their courses this time. Even if the female was standing still, that doesn't mean that she's giving up this easily. She knew that they might never _ever_ get the ball but they still had to try at least. Propping herself up so that she stood up straight, (E/c) colored eyes glare at the old man. She shifts her nen to give herself another boost of speed. She takes the time to run another direction, circling first so that she can get some momentum. Right when she feels she's at the right angle, the girl changes course and heads towards Netero.

She didn't expect to see Gon heading her way too. The teen's eyes widen at the sight of her friend, making her switch to defense. Her hands close into fists, letting them swipe up as she creates an invisible barrier between her and Gon. Dense air created a blockage for the teens before they could knock their heads together. The shield pushes both of them back, making Gon and (Y/n) fall on their bottoms. There the female sits, her eyes still wide from shock. If they were to bonk heads then..she might not even be able to wake up from that crash afterwards. Her lips arch into a soft smile, relived that she was able to avoid that.

However, it didn't necessarily work in her favor. She felt herself grow exhausted, losing most of her energy trying to create a soft, transparent cushion to steer away from collision. Creating that barrier in such a short span of time had eaten up most of her willpower to go forward. She was sleepy before, she only participated to see what would happen. (Y/n) was the first to find herself sitting out and watching.

Gon sent her a soft glance. He was curious, concerned mostly for his friend. Yet a question came up in his head, causing turmoil in his head. He didn't wanna end up pressing her for answers but when he felt something push him back, he was surprised. At the very least he expected that they would crash on to each other but something stopped them. A frown decorates the teenage boy's face as he stands up again so that he could continue. 

The occurrence made Netero open his eyes. He knew something was up with the girl. Although it was obvious that the two other boys had superhuman traits, the female of the trio seemed to have learned what the others haven't yet. He didn't decide on an answer, even after he saw her hands twirl around. They were moving something but he was never sure what it was. He did get explanation however, when he felt air dense on top of him.

She was either..a wind manipulator or a transmuter. How curious! 

A laugh comes from the old man, making him close his eyes again. What an extraordinary bunch! The ball still sits on his hand, ready for someone to move it away from him. Netero didn't utter a word, just a couple of laughs here and there. Now that the girl was sitting out and watching, it was just the two other boys that he had to deal with. It didn't look like they'll let up anytime soon. 

The two teenage boys really didn't stop moving. Killua was the next person to use trick as her, except his legs managed to go in and try to crush Netero's legs. The albino laid there for a moment, thinking that he had disabled the older man but it turns out that he was the one that's gonna have broken bones. Tears pricked the ends of his eyes as he stood up and held his leg. hopping around with the other. "Ow ow ow!" Killua groaned, rubbing the front of his calf. "W-What the hell! I thought that would work!" 

(Y/n) watches from afar, lightly laughing at the scene. She enjoyed the little match that she sat out from. From a spectator's point of view, it was like watching a sports match! There were some points where it really gets her giddy and excited and there were some moments where she's just laughing at how dumb it was. The girl shook her head as she led her eyes to Killua, who seemed to have calmed down.

The male shook his head as he pushed some of his bangs back. He grew frustrated with how often the chairman avoided his advances. That was a bother. Of course he was not one to back down from a challenge like this, since he was clearly confident in his skills, but the older man was way more experienced than him. A short _"tch"_ left Killua's mouth as he went headed towards the door. He gave up, he even had to eat up his pride. Anger boiled within him. That bitter feeling was fueled by frustration. 

"Killua you're leaving already?" (Y/n) asked, sparing him a glance. A pout spread across her face as she kept his eyes on him. Something about him seemed off, like his aura was way different than when they started this match. It made the girl cautious with her choices of words to say to him. What if she says something wrong and he'll lash out at her?

"Ah.." the boy wearing white looked at the female on the floor, "Yeah. I'm heading out of the night. Best if you _don't_ follow me." His facial expression dulled, it darkened as well. He exited the room before the girl could say another word to him. He didn't even bother giving Gon a goodbye since he was busy trying to get the ball away from the older man. 

A hum comes from the teenage girl as she nodded, shifting her attention to Gon and the chairman. After that short lived scenario it was back to business with the two other males in the room. (Y/n) watched silently, keeping herself. She wasn't paying attention anymore, she was preoccupied with her thoughts to continue watching. Something was definitely different with Killua and she wanted to investigate what it was with him. Did she dare go outside and chase after him? No..not at all. He did say that it would be best if she doesn't follow him. Still..it was bothering her. She wanted to find out what it was so that she could help him with that problem. That's what friends do! They help each other out!

After a little while, the female decided that it was better to stop thinking about the situation and just let him be. A sigh leaves her as she turns her focus to watch Gon and Netero move around. Drowsiness eventually had gotten to the girl, making her unaware that she was close to falling asleep. She slumps against the padded walls, getting herself comfortable there as she hugged her backpack. Her body automatically falls into a slumber due to how tired she was. It didn't care where she was, nor did it care if she would get hit by the ball. That was fine. The only thing that matters right now is that she had gotten rest. 

She could worry about problems in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I just want to be near you . ¨
> 
> Key: (S/C) - Skin Color

A feeling of comfort washes over a girl as warmth wrapped around her. Opening her eyes she found herself in a field, daisies and dandelions decorating the lush grass around her. The sun shined brightly above her, the sun rays heating her (S/C) skin. A smile spreads across her face as she felt the green grass hit her bare legs. Walking around barefoot..it all seemed too familiar. 

(E/c) colored eyes look down to find smaller hands, child-like almost. Taking a better look at herself, she wore a bright white dress, symbolizing innocence. This must be a dream, but how come she could not wake from it? Would she even consider waking up from it? Everything feels fine..she was okay, there were no threats around her at all. A gentle breeze passes by, making the skirt of her dress dance along. Birds chirped around, but there wasn't a soul nearby. The young girl starts walking around, feeling the dirt on her feet. 

Exploring around, a young (Y/n) found herself wondering, " _Why am I here? Why was I brought here?"._ The question lingers in her mind, bouncing around like a tv symbol. She waits until it hits a corner, she waits until an answer arises in her brain. Wandering around a little longer, she realizes that the thing that's been bugging her would never be solved, as there's no deep meaning to it. She was just placed here, by her head so that she releases the tension that was created during the hunter exam. This symbolized nothing, maybe.

A variety of things started to cloud her mind. More questions seem to trouble her, making the younger version of (Y/n) come to a stop. Sitting down, she finds herself picking and plucking dandelions and daisies from the floor to relieve stress. The soft, green stems wrapped around each other. The girl had crafted a flower crown, but for whom? For herself? Perhaps. 

Darkness covers her gaze, feeling hands on her eyes. It startled her but she didn't react. Her body was stationary, it sat still, while she held on to the crown of daisies and dandelions.

"Guess who." A voice spoke behind her. It was deep, but it wasn't intimidating. No no, in fact it made her comfortable..because she knew who had that voice. A familiar man, a man that she held close to her heart. The one she was chasing after. 

Childish laughter leaves her throat as she pries the hands off of her. A young (Y/n) looked down at her lap, finding the flower crown still there. She takes a hold of it, her (S/C) skin tickled by the petals. "Papa.." the girl murmurs, closing her eyes. She shifts her body so that she turns to face him. Once her eyelids flutter open, she finds that the space was empty. There was once a smile spread on her face but now a pout replaces it. 

Drowsiness finds itself in the young girl, her lids getting heavy. A soft breeze passes by once more, pushing some of her hair this time. (Y/n) lays herself down on the grass, the blades now poking her skin. Her head rests on her arms, giving her a pillow. Mutters and murmurs come from the (H/C) haired female as she made herself more comfortable. Humming accompanies the wind, further lulling her to sleep. Darkness closes in her sight, enveloping her in a cold embrace.

Before she knew it, her consciousness was back to the land of the living. Pulling herself back to a wake, (Y/n) finds herself back in the room she was at before. Her father's voice rings in her ears, echoing in her mind. It was taunting her, her mind said that she failed to see him. It wasn't her fault..no no, it can't be. She could not control her dreams, she had no power over what events occurred. If she could, an apparition of her father would appear in her mind, but nothing appeared. 

Only his voice was heard.

(E/C) eyes show themselves to the world, holding sorrow, holding disappointment towards herself. The girl took the time to sit up, her gaze shifting to look at the wooden floor that she rested on. Her backpack was nearby, pushed to the side. She remembers using that as a pillow but how come it's a couple of feet away from her? Has she been moved? Maybe it was just her that moved around. Shaking her head, she leans against the padded walls. 

She felt empty after that strange, short lived dream. The teen didn't know what to make of it. How come her father's voice appeared but not the image itself? The girl went to grab her bag, crawling on the way there. She had a picture somewhere, hiding somewhere in the corner. (Y/n) never goes anywhere without it. Ever since her uncle gave her that image, she could never let it go. 

Her needy hands shuffled through the clutter in her adventure backpack. She pushed aside the many water bottles and bags of candy she saved inside, trying to find that special photograph she kept on her at all times. Her fingers feel a familiar texture. In a hurry she pinches what she knows was a Polaroid photo of her and her father.

There in her grasp was an old image of her and the one she was really after. They took the picture on their first time visiting an aquarium. She was only 5 at the time. Staring at younger version of herself, she felt envious of it. There a small child was with her father..but here she is without him. The teenager brought the memory close to her chest, the voice of her dad in her mind again. Vivid thoughts spring in her mind as she sits in the room, in the quiet. There she lingered, there she sat, before she pulled herself away from the chance of breaking down. 

Her lips pressed a kiss on the old photo before she tucks it back in the corner it was from. (Y/n) stands up and stretches, slinging her backpack on. It was time to start a new day. It's quite surprising that she didn't get any back pain or any soreness after sleeping on just the hard floor. She must have passed out..that was the only explanation to that. It'll bite eventually..she should appreciate how her body is merciful right now. 

Studying the room, (Y/n) finds that..Gon was still there. She hadn't noticed him there before..perhaps she should pay close attention to her surroundings. Her thoughts occupied her earlier so she must have had a hard time focusing on other things. A smile crept up on her face as she approaches Gon's sleeping form, finding him in a position similar to a starfish. His limbs were sprawled all over. It was quite a funny sight. 

Softly giggling to herself, the female teen knelt down in front of her sleeping friend. Her eyes shift to look at the watch on her wrist, finding that they've slept till 9 am in the morning. A grumble from her stomach breaks the silence of the room. Of course she's hungry but she's wondering if she should wake up Gon too. It probably sounds like a good idea to interrupt his sleep. The girl wasn't sure when they'll be able to get out of the airship but she was thinking it might be soon. It's best to get ready and head out again for the day.

Her fingers poke Gon's tan skin, trying to wake him up. (Y/n) was hoping that it won't end up like waking Leorio that one time. She doesn't wanna slap anyone awake. That was Killua's job anyway! Ah..speaking of the albino..where might he be? The girl continues her annoying gesture, trying to bring Gon out of his unconscious state. A hum leaves her as she finds the male moving around in his sleep. Another laugh comes from her as she finally decides that putting more force should get him up. 

She pushes him lightly, but finding that didn't work, she pushed him again. The black haired male's body rocked along with her shoves. Still..he was unfazed. 

"What the hell.." (Y/n) muttered to herself as she gave one more push. She was hoping that it'll wake him up. If that doesn't work then she might have to find Killua and ask him to slap him awake. He didn't hesitate before, he could probably do it again. 

A sigh comes from the girl as she ends up in a sit, her hands placed on her lap. Her feet rocked from side to side, waiting for Gon to wake up. He should be waking up any minute now. He can't possibly have slept later than her...that would be really unhealthy. At the very least he did get some sleep. Humming leaves the teenager as she tried her tactics again, this time, she tried being vocal. She pushes and shoves him around, muttering his name to get his attention.

"Gon. Wake up." The (H/C) haired female spoke, "We gotta get breakfast and head out of here." 

Speaking seemed to do the trick. With a final shove, she finds Gon's eyelids open. His awakening was slow, but he was quick to spring up to a sit. His legs crossed each other, his hands resting on his ankles. The male teen turns his head to connect gazes with a familiar girl. A smile decorates his tan features, showing that he was happy to see her. A yawn breaks his grin however, his actions followed by his arms stretching. 

"How long..have I been out?" The black haired male asked, "I didn't sleep that long did I?" He rubbed one of his eyes, trying to ignore his morning drowsiness.

"Well..I just woke up too sooo..." A laugh comes from (Y/n), "I dunno how long we've been out." Her eyes move to look at the watch on her wrist. It was still 9 am, they could have some time for breakfast. They might even find Killua walking around the hallways, or he's hanging out in the cafeteria. Lightly nudging her friend, she sends him a smile. She urged him to stand up with her. The teen lent a hand to her friend so that he could pull himself up. Gon didn't hesitate to take it. He grabbed her palm, making himself stand up. He made sure that he didn't depend on her to stand up. They might end up falling together. 

Humming leaves the young male as he looked at his friend. She was ready to leave but him? Well he just woke up! Gon walked to where his backpack was and took it. He had some things in there that might be of use, though, it was mostly bait that he brought with him. The hook of his fishing pole swings around as he slung his travel bag over his shoulder. Auburn eyes glance down at (E/C) ones, finding something missing. Someone was feeling hollow..or maybe it was always like that. The teen wasn't going to ask however, as he felt that it might push her over the edge mentioning it.

"Are you hungry?" Gon asked, "Let's go get breakfast together!"

"Well I was honestly waiting for you to wake up before I leave." Giggles come from the female teen, "I was getting pretty hungry while waiting around. I dunno if we have time for an actual breakfast, but I'm hoping that we do." 

Both teens nodded at each other, agreeing that they should get something to eat before they start their day. They leave the padded room chatting to avoid an awkward silence. The walk to the cafeteria didn't take long, as they both knew where to go. Just down the hallway a familiar albino was seen wandering around, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Gon and (Y/n) noticed the sight, making them look at each other. Smiles were spread across their faces as they nodded again. They agreed to go to Killua without exchanging words. The teens made a beeline straight to their other friend. Their pace was faster than how they were walking earlier. 

"Killua! Good morning!" (Y/n) greeted her friend, a grin shining bright on her face. 

Killua wasn't at all surprised that the two of them would come out of the room together. He noticed that ever since they all met, they found their way to each other. Like..they were magnets to each other and no matter how far they were, they all manage to meet up one way or another.

He met up with Leorio and Kurapika earlier this morning. Those two were out to get breakfast before they walked around and spent their leisure time doing their own thing. Of course..he didn't really get breakfast himself as he doesn't believe that it would help him at all, so he rejected the offer when they saw each other. He wasn't hungry earlier..but now he feels like it. 

Weird. The albino has no answers for this and he needs answers to why strange things are happening to him all of a sudden.

"You two finally woke up huh?" The boy clad in white looked at his companions and smiled back, "Took you both long enough."

"Not my fault I like sleeping 8 hours every night." Gon muttered, shaking his head afterwards, "How many hours did you sleep huh?"

"Eh..probably around...5 hours? It's good enough anyway." Killua shrugged his shoulders, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I don't mind it. As long as I got some sleep, I'm fine."

"But 5 hours isn't even enough for me to function! Let alone do the hunter exam." Gon replied, shaking his head. He looked towards (Y/n), a smile planted on his face. He nudged her a little bit to grab her attention. "You sleep at reasonable times right? Always get that 8 hours too right?"

A laugh comes from the teenage girl as she looked up at her friend. She shook her head hesitantly, her gaze looking away from him. "Well I do have some nights where I can't sleep at all so I end up either playing video games all night _orrrr_ I end up staring at the ceiling for hours. The least sleep I have gotten was around..an hour probably? I won't be able to break that record right now though." 

The boy clad in green was a little shocked to hear that his friends might not be getting enough sleep at night. Who doesn't get 8 hours of sleep always? That was a bummer! 8 hours is the least amount to get a healthy good night's rest! A pout decorates his face as his hands tugged on the straps of his backpack. Gon can't force his friends to have better sleeping habits but he can sure encourage them to have one! Well..it'll take a while. It looks like Killua doesn't sleep at all and (Y/n) only _sometimes_ gets enough sleep. A sigh leaves him, his head buzzing with ideas. Nah. Best not to think about it too much.

Shaking his head, Gon looked at his friends with a smile. "Right. Now that we're together, we should all get some breakfast! Unless Killua already had some." 

Killua shook his head as he kept his eyes on the black haired male. They shared the same facial expression, though the albino was not aware of it. "Nah. I didn't get breakfast yet."

"Then what have you been doing for the past few hours?" (Y/n) asked out loud, her head tilting to the side, "Don't tell me you're not hungry after all that waiting around."

"Me? Well I'm hungry now. I wasn't hungry earlier. Leorio and Kurapika passed by earlier and they asked me to get breakfast with them but I said _nah._ " It wasn't such a big deal for Killua. He was used to not getting breakfast in some mornings. He was trained that way, whether he liked it or not. It was a good thing to some, but a bad one for others. It seemed that the ones he was with thought the latter. 

"The cafeteria is just right there ya know. We can go get some breakfast!" Gon kept the same grin on his face as he turned his body. Like a line of little ducklings, the two other teens followed the leader, for now, to the eatery. The aroma of different foods made the girl hungry. Her stomach grumbled again, this time it was louder than usual. A pout comes from her as she looked away, embarrassed. 

Laughs come from Killua and Gon as they glance down at the shorter female. With a nod, they quickened their pace. It wasn't long till the three of them were seen sitting in the same three seated table. They had a variety of meals to choose from today as they have opened up with the buffet idea again. The staff still worry that the two boys might take all of their food again. 

Fortunately for them, the two males didn't feel like eating too much today. Well one of them had less food that usual. That was Killua's plate. Not that the others minded, but the lack of food did _sort_ of bother the girl. That didn't matter, he could eat how much he wanted. A sigh leaves (Y/n) as she munched, trying to finish her meal before the day actually begins. 

Speaking of the day starting, her mind starts buzzing, wondering what the third phase would be all about. Whatever it may be, she was sure hoping that it was better than dropping off of a cliff and getting a spider-eagle's egg. The thought of falling down from a high place and never coming up again..it scared her. The thrill wasn't worth it. Her life was more valuable than that and she can't risk throwing it away like that again! The girl visibly shudders at the thought of falling at high places again.

"You thought of something huh?" Killua asked, taking a piece of chocolate in his mouth, "Something on your mind?"

"Just thought about the last phase. Thought about how high that place was... I hope the next phase isn't as bad as jumping off of a cliff." The girl groaned, her head hanging low. She shook her head, trying to dismiss her thoughts. It wasn't good to think about that situation anymore or it'll make things harder for her. 

Eating breakfast didn't at all take that long. A voice over the intercom had interrupted their meal, making them ditch the idea of continuing. They had time to put the plates close to each other so it's easier for the workers to do their job. Gon and (Y/n) seemed to have that habit, Killua noticed, and he was _sort_ of getting used to seeing that. Still it was weird for him. 

Walking out of the cafeteria, the trio of teenagers chatted while they made their way to the entrance of the giant airship. Their eyes moved to where two familiar figures stood. They also seem to be talking to each other, getting comfortable with the other's presence. They all connected gazes once they all saw each other. Smiles decorated the group's faces as they approach each other, shortening the distance between them. 

"Good morning. I was wondering when you three will pop up again." Kurapika spoke first, keeping his soft grin shining on his face. "I'm glad that we didn't have to leave anyone behind. I didn't want to do that honestly."

Leorio pushed his sunglasses up and smirked, shaking his head. "As if we'll leave these kids behind! I'll probably tell ya to look for them with me." The tallest male snickered. His arms crossed as he looks at the three younger teens. "The team's not gonna be complete if we leave you three behind right?"

"Well I'm glad that you're not considering on leaving us Leorio! So you do care!" (Y/n) chimed in, giggling. She leaned to one side as she put a hand on her hip. She was getting more comfortable around them. Not that she was _uncomfortable_ at first. The girl trusted them of course. It was almost easy to gain her trust, as long as the person she's trusting treats her right. She couldn't help but be more carefree when it comes to developing friendships. Maybe that was her inner social butterfly gene that she had gotten from her mother.

"You thought I didn't? You should be saying that to that kid over there." Leorio pointed at Killua, making the albino tilt his head to the side.

"Just cuz I didn't stay for a little while doesn't mean I don't care." The teen had a pout on his face as he shook his head. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked at the bunch that he saw as his companions. Friends? Maybe. He wanted to consider that but..assassins don't have friends, nor will they ever have one. 

It was that one idea that was holding him back, keeping him from saying that they were friends. It troubled him but could he ever break that wall down? Maybe. He doesn't know if he ever has the strength to do so. He wishes, at the very least, to call Gon and (Y/n) his friends as he felt the most comfortable with them. Killua wasn't sure why that is but..one factor might be because they were all the same age. People with the same age gotta stick together right?

"I'm glad we're all here though! It would be really bad if one or two people are left behind." Gon spoke, causing everyone to turn their attention to him. There the black haired boy had a bright smile on his face. It looked like the smile would never leave his face at all. It made everyone else do the same.

At this point everyone in the group can agree that Gon was the shining ball of sunshine.

"Attention all examinees! Welcome to the third phase! The task for this is simple. You must reach the bottom of this a tower!" The voice was familiar. It was the chairman talking through the speakers now. "Good luck!"

The main entrance of the airship had unhinged from its locks, alerting every examinee. It interrupted the conversation between the group of friends, making them all shut up. Wind sweeps by, invading the warmth of the zeppelin. One by one the examinees hopped off of the ship. Once everyone was on the platform, the door close again. The aircraft flies away, leaving everyone on the top of a high tower.

One thing that (Y/n) first noticed was that the sky seemed closer than normal. No trees were in sight. In fact..the birds flying seemed closer to them and it felt like one can touch the clouds if they can jump high enough. The girl finds herself gulping in her anxiety. Her body seemed to tense up as she realized that Netero wasn't joking when he said that they were going to have to find a way down the tower. Hands clenched up into fists as she kept her place. She stands still, her eyes looking around, frantically trying to find an exit to this place.

Nothing. There was no way down the tower. No exit, no stairs, nothing. _Nothing!_

Killua noticed her weird behavior at first. He looked at her, studied her so that he could try and find out what was wrong with her. A memory appeared in his mind. Right..She doesn't like heights. It was obvious that she didn't because of what happened in the redo of the second phase. He stands in front of her, waving his hand so that he could get her attention.

The girl snapped out of her paralyzed state, her eyes finally looking up at Killua's cat-like blues. A shaky sigh comes from her as she tried relaxing. Right. Relax. (Y/n) knew that she wasn't gonna go anywhere if she was scared of heights. A laugh comes from her. It was tenser, forced even but she'll do anything to release some stress that was building up in her chest, stress that was building up on her shoulders. 

"You're not gonna go anywhere if you don't move." Killua spoke, shoving his hands in his pockets once more. He leaned back a little, his weight being supported by his legs. He kept his icy blue eyes on (Y/n)'s smaller body. He observed the effects of what he said, finding that she was less tense. Maybe she just needed someone to be with. Everyone else went to check out this guy who tried climbing off the side of the tower. That man ended up getting picked up by a giant winged creature. It was safe to say that he's dead. 

Footsteps were heard behind him. The albino turns his head to find the other three were back at their original place. Gon was first to come to his side to look at what was going on. (Y/n) was still as her legs felt paralyzed. She was stuck there and it was clear that she wasn't going to move unless something moves her. It's a wonder how she managed to survive this far if she was scared of heights. 

"(Y/n) are you okay?" Gon asked, waving his hand in front of her. He was getting a little concerned with how she was acting. This happened before. Maybe she needed the comfort and support, and he was sure happy to give that to her! He extends a hand to her, waiting for her to grab it. A soft smile decorates his face as he tried to assure (Y/n) that she was fine.

Gulping in her anxiety, the girl looks at her companion's hand. She grabs his wrist instead of the hand, tightly gripping it as she tried her best to move her legs. Step by step, she was making progress, but her heart was beating quite fast. (Y/n) knew she had to calm down, she knew that being calm in situations like this was best for her. She can't think straight if she's panicking. Letting out a shaky sigh, she pulled her body closer to Gon's, trying to support herself as she held on to him.

Kurapika and Leorio had trailed Gon up to this point. Leorio took a good look at (Y/n) as she clung on to the other boy, finding that the grip on his wrist was pretty tight. Is Gon really okay with how she was holding on to him? Most importantly, the kid looked scared. Eh..She'll probably get over it or something. It'll take time for someone to realize that they're fine. She can't even see the edge, so why did she immediately feel scared? 

Probably their surroundings ticked something in her. The lack of trees probably made things worse, especially since the chairman said they're gonna be trying to find a way to climb down this tower.

"Oi..You okay?" Leorio tilted his head to the side. He kept his dark brown eyes on her, connecting with her (E/C) eyes. Well..he wasn't going into the psychiatric field of medicine but any experience helps. He wanted to help her out, since he considered her as a teammate..and mostly because Gon seemed fond of her. They've all gotta be there for each other. It's just an unspoken rule between the five of them.

The girl gave the tallest male a nod, before she moved herself closer to the boy wearing green. At the very least, she wasn't going to cry because of it, but she can't move freely. "I just- Ya know- the thought of like falling from really high places? Super scary ya know-" (Y/n) tried to shake it off but everyone knew that she was scared. Well, each person has their own fear, it's not uncommon to find someone who dislikes heights.

"Well I'm here if you need me, (Y/n)!" Gon spoke, sending her a thumbs up with his spare hand. He didn't mind if she wanted to keep herself close. Whatever makes a friend feel better! 

Killua looked at the duo with a curious look. He wasn't indifferent, but still..he had a feeling that he should do something about her too. He watches as they all talk to each other, trying to make the girl feel better. Why is she getting the special treatment? It's only been like around 2 days since they've known each other, it's no biggie. People make friends this easily? Or maybe that's just Gon. 

The albino watches silently, shaking his head and stuff his hands in his pockets. His cat-like blues look to (E/C) eyes. Their stares linger for a moment before Killua pulled himself away. "You'll probably never fall off from here unless you really get close to the edge. So there's really nothing to worry about ya know."

"Still...ugh..whatever." (Y/n) sighed. She knew that Killua had a point but that doesn't mean that she'll immediately feel better. Sure that thought made things a little less stressful for her but that doesn't push away the fact that she's on top of a giant tower and going off the edge is not a good idea. Pushing the thoughts away, she wanted to change the topic. "We should find a way to get down. I don't wanna stay up here anymore."

Everyone nodded their head, agreeing that it was a good idea. Killua decided to lead this time with Gon and (Y/n) following him. Kurapika and Leorio did the same but they were walking far back. They were chatting or well, Leorio was mostly the one yapping his mouth while Kurapika was thinking about their situation. 

It didn't take long for the bunch to realize that there were people disappearing from the tower. Slowly but surely people were going somewhere else. Kurapika was the first one to notice it. He contemplated the idea first, trying to think of a way to go down the roof. Meanwhile while Leorio stuck with the shorter, smarter blonde, the trio took their time poking the floor with a stick that they had found. Killua proposed that idea and it worked!

Gon pushed the floor down, finding that it opens up on the other end. The three teens all look at each other, each had a smile on their face. Well one somewhat had a smile on her face.

"Woah! This leads somewhere! Look! It opens over there!" Gon seemed excited about everything. He's probably just excited that they've found a way out of this roof. What a relief.

"Does that lead to the same room though?" (Y/n) asked, "Does that go down to like- a floor or something?" She grew nervous once more, but for reasons she couldn't quite understand. She's been alone before, she did get here by herself after all, but how come she was growing anxious? Maybe it's the thought of not knowing if that entrance actually goes down to a floor. What if there were traps that lead to her falling down to her death and things like that!

"Probably. I doubt that they'd put an endless pit here though." Killua shrugged his shoulders. He grabbed the stick from Gon and pointed at the other end of the sandstone slab. "Here. See for yourself." He poked the floor with a stick, lifting the end of the stone block.

From this angle, (Y/n) could see that it does goes down to a floor. Well that's one worry away. Now..does this lead to the same room that they'll eventually fall in? Probably..but she wasn't sure. It seems that there was a lock to these entrances so it'd be impossible to go one after another. The hole can fit one person only. 

No..she shouldn't worry, she might get by just fine! Yeah!

The trio of strange teenagers continue to poke the floor, finding four more entrances. Adding that together, there should be enough for the five of them. Killua went on ahead to report their findings to the other two teens, leaving Gon and (Y/n) behind to keep watch. 

"Are you gonna be okay though, (Y/n)?" Gon started a conversation, making the girl turn her head. The grip around his wrist seemed to loosen. Casual talk must be distracting her from her thoughts. That was a good sign to him!

"I think..so.." The (H/c) haired teen looked at her friend, her face neutral. She looked away for a moment, watching Killua talk to the other two teens they were with. "I'll do fine..by myself probably. I kinda wanna stick with you guys cuz things are way easier when you guys are around." The girl gulps in her nervousness as the thought of being alone appeared in her head. "I'm hoping the paths we found lead to the same room."

"If not, then good luck!" Gon smiled at his friend, trying his best to comfort her. Her grip on his wrist continued to loosen. She seemed to be easing up, if not, then she must be letting go because she knew she has to let go. 

The two teens continued to talk, with one trying his best to soothe the other. Who knows, maybe they would end up in the same room! That would be great honestly! Both Gon and (Y/n) looked at the approaching three. They both stood up straight and stretched their limbs. A breeze sweeps by the tower, making the girl tense up again.

"No no there's nothing to worry about," the girl tried to make herself feel better. She attempted to walk to the slab that she agreed to hop on to. She found the task to be difficult but she did manage. Her steps were smaller than normal after all. Eventually she did get on the slab and it looked like she was the last one to walk there. There was a nervous smile spread across (Y/n)'s face as she looked at her friends.

"So you gonna be good?" Killua asked her, tilting his head to the side. He kept his hands in his pockets as he looked at her. Once he saw that nod coming from her, he could at least push that thought aside. If she was gonna do fine, she was _gonna_ be fine. Besides, she got here by herself, she could probably get by just fine. 

His cat-like gaze turned to the other three. They all gave each other the nod before they all smiled at each other. Even if (Y/n) was sort of nervous about the outcome of the room she was gonna fall to, she was going to be brave! If she wanted to meet her father, she just has to get over this small fear! Heights is gonna be nothing when she learns how to fly! Yeah! 

Before they could jump on the platform and make an entrance open up, the group exchanged their goodbyes and _see ya later_ s. On the count of three, they jumped at the same time. (Y/n) uses her nen to drop down slowly, fearing that the platform below might actually be a trap. Her nen only lasted for a little bit, as she had limited power at the moment. It all depended on how much air was in the room, and right now..there wasn't that much.

The first thing that she sees is a dark room, then she senses footsteps behind her. Her eyes tried to adjust to the lighting of the room, her hands mustering air so that she could prepare for an attack. Who knows, maybe someone else dropped in. (Y/n) had already been tense before.

The footsteps moved around her, and light soon illuminates the room. A familiar voice is heard throughout the room, followed by others that she knew. Her hands moved, dismissing air that formed around her fingers. She was at ease again. The girl knew that she was safe in a room and that the floor she stepped on was solid. There was no trap in this room, she was aware of that. (Y/n) turns around and smiles, finding that her anxiety was washing away. 

Her (E/C) colored eyes shines under the lights as she turned around and saw her friends. 

"So! We really are stuck together!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Three, two, one! Fight! "

"And to think that I'm gonna be separated earlier! What a relief!" (Y/n) spoke. On her face a smile shone brightly. She had lowered her guard once more. The girl was feeling less tense now. The (H/C) haired female looked at her friends before she shifts to look at her surroundings. There appears to be no exit to the room. No doors, no windows, nothing! Every wall was blank, except one of them had a tv on it. Leorio was the first to take a closer look at it. The other four followed him.

"So...what is this?" Leorio asked himself, but it was loud enough for the others to hear. He got close enough that he could finally read what was being displayed on the screen. His sunglasses also served as reading glasses. He just needed them because sometimes he couldn't read the tiny prints on his papers. It also looked stylish on him too. Humming softly, the premed read the text on the screen.

"In order to proceed, there must be 5 of you and you all must wear the watches on your wrists. When all of the watches have been worn, the travel down will start. A path opens based on majority rule." The tallest male read it out loud. "Huh? Well." Leorio turned around and counted the number of people in the room. There were 5 people in the room. He just had to make sure because sometimes someone might have been nabbed while he was looking away. The male let out a hum before he turns again, his hand grabbing one of the watches that was put on display. "Well, we gotta get a watch, guys."

"Right." Kurapika nodded. The blonde was the next one to get the device, followed by Killua, Gon, and finally (Y/n). The girl noticed a ticking noise coming from it. As soon as she snapped it on, a timer has popped up, which continued to count down as time passed by.

"Oh..there's a timer to these things. And it looks like we have 71 hours to go down this tower." (Y/n) spoke. The female took a closer look at it, trying to understand it. It just looked like a regular watch except it had special buttons that would make them move forward in some rooms.

Off to the side of the room, an entrance started to appear on one of the walls. The stone slab was pulled up to reveal a dark hallway that everyone had to get in to. Like a trail of ducklings, the group of five teens followed each other down the corridor that lit up as they progressed. 

They had been walking for a while. They stopped on a room earlier, which led them to this room. The past area they were at before had a door, which they all agreed to open it. The group was in a new place now, and this one was way different than the last one. There were two pathways that they could choose. A hum leaves the girl as she looked at the sign in the middle of the room.

"Which way will you choose? Circle goes to the right, X goes to the left." (Y/n) read out loud. She looked down at her watch, deciding which way to go. The right path seem good to her though she would have to think about it for a moment.

Even if she hoped for the slightest bit of communication among her friends, she didn't see anyone look at each other. A hum comes from her as she looked at the sign again, focusing her attention there. Well...it looked like it was every man for themselves. If no one wanted to talk then...no one's gonna talk.

(Y/n) went by her instincts and finally deciding to press the circle option on her watch. Everyone else had done the same, probably earlier than her. She was most likely the last person to press on anything. There was rumbling heard in the room, rumbling to the right side of her. So..the right path was opened huh? A hum leaves her as she looked at her friends. Leorio seemed to be glaring at everyone. He was irritated that no one wanted to pick the left path. Everyone seemed to go to the right. 

"Did anyone else pick the left path?! Like come on that's clearly the reasonable way to go! Don't you all know how mazes work?" Leorio fumed. The oldest male let out a loud sigh as he looked at his companions. Everyone was staring at him. Most were indifferent, one seemed sorry almost.

"Research says that people who tend to get lost go to the left, Leorio." Kurapika spoke, his black eyes looking up at the tallest male. That didn't make things better for Leorio. It looked like he got angrier.

"Oh I read that too- It's really inte-" Killua was interrupted when he felt a soft jab on his side. A pout decorates him as he looked down, finding (Y/n) shaking her head. With that gaze it was obvious that she was telling _"not to rub it in"_ or something like that.

"And so?" The pre-med huffed, "Who the hell cares about research anyway! What did you guys pick?"

"Oh I pressed _x_." Gon muttered to himself. His auburn eyes look up at Leorio's finding him angry, frustrated mostly. He tried sending him a smile but the taller male looked away. A sigh comes from him, a pout now decorating his features. He tried to dismiss it, and eventually it did go away.

"Circle for me." Killua chimed in. He was pretty laid back at the moment. He couldn't care less about it anymore. As long as a path opened then they should be okay.

"I pressed circle. I seemed right to me." (Y/n) muttered, her gaze looking away from the oldest, "It doesn't matter..anymore. We have to keep moving."

They were all quiet for a moment. They stood still so that Leorio can take his time to settle down. It's best if he were to calm down and let his anger die. Standing still in silence, (Y/n) sends a glance towards Gon, finding that he also found everyone's silence troubling. They didn't do anything however, and they kept to themselves.

Since the right path is now open, it should be obvious that they can't take a longer break.

They all walked down the corridor that they had opened. This time they were mostly quiet, a word did not escape their lips. Instead, what was filling the air were sounds of their footsteps on the stone floor. It was..a somewhat comfortable silence, but it seemed better if people were talking. Of course that is (Y/n) opinion anyway. Who knows, maybe this short moment of peace was appreciated by others.

After a while of walking they all come to an end. It led them to another room, but this time it was bigger than usual. (Y/n) takes a good look at her surroundings, finding that there was a big platform in the middle of the giant room. There was another end of the hallway on the other side. There was no way to get to that side since the gap between the middle platform and the end of the corridor that they stood on was..long.

"Hey this looks like an arena." The (H/C) haired girl spoke her thoughts, shifting her gaze to look at her friends. "And over there is another part of the hallway, maybe."

Her curious (E/C) eyes looked down, finding an abyss. This darkness surrounded the middle. It was impossible to see the ground due to how dark it was. A sigh comes from her as she takes a step back, her hands going back. She tried to find a wall as she stared at the pit more. (Y/n) had a rule that she followed. If there was a hole in front of her that goes down and she could not see the bottom, it was not safe to drop down from it because you never _ever_ see the ground. 

If she falls from here, it's over for her. Her nen wasn't strong enough to make her fly, nor will it have the strength to support her weight. She only learned how to enhance her combat and give her a jump boost! 

The girl puts her hands back to her side as she saw the walls again. She stares at her friends, giving them a nervous smile. Her heart rate was going up again as she kept herself away from the edge, so to ease herself of that, she got deeper in the walled hallway. There she stood behind her friends, at the very back where she deemed it a safe place. She was going to be okay there, (Y/n) knew that there wasn't gonna be anything that was gonna push her and make her fall. 

Eventually after a couple of seconds she had calmed down. The girl was getting better at that job and she was sure getting proud of herself for this accomplishment. In no time she'll be over her fear of heights! Or at least be over the fear of staring down one.

A voice was heard from across the giant arena, making the girl tilt her head to the side. It was loud, it boomed and echoed, bouncing off of the walls. She pushed Kurapika and Leorio to the side just a little, so that she could see who it was. She could not see the person clearly but she knew that it was a man, judging from the deep voice.

"The committee has appointed us as your taskmasters!" The booming voice came from the same place, across the platform. "You five will challenge the five of us!"

She was growing curious, which seemed to be fueled by the idea of getting to fight someone. Sure..she could fight someone if she had to, hell, if someone even considered talking smack about her, there would be a confrontation. (Y/n) wouldn't hesitate to fight but...seeing as how this place was laid out, there might not even be a chance she could do anything.

Her fear was holding her back from fighting. But who's to say that the fear can't be overruled by another feeling?

"The challenge will vary with each taskmaster" The male shouted from across the room, "So depending on which person an examinee is facing, each will have their choice of challenge, whether it be a fight or anything else that comes to mind." It was obvious that the man had a grin on his face, even if you couldn't see his face. He seemed enthusiastic about fighting someone.

"The rules are simple. We'll all have our matches. The first to win three in total can progress. If we win three matches, we get reduced sentences and you five are disqualified from the hunter exam." The man from the other side chuckled. His figure was seen putting his hands on his hips as he laughed loud and proud. "And if you examinees win three matches, you all will be able to progress to the next room."

There was something that told (Y/n) to back down for now, to step down and let herself rest. But there was another thing inside her that was telling her to fight, to get a win for her team. Not even the girl was sure if she was gonna come out victorious seeing as the rules vary with each person but..she would like to hope that she does. Besides..she might _not_ even get to fight at all! It's up to three matches anyway, and they might get a victory with each person. 

It has been a while since she has fought someone. She wanted to fight someone, get her blood pumping for a sparring match! Hell...the match might be about having the other person knocked out or something. (Y/n) was hoping that no one was gonna die here. If that were the case then..she might have to back down. Thinking of someone dying by her hands made her feel bad. The thought wasn't pleasant, it wasn't great, but she has to eventually. _She knew that it would happen eventually in her life_.

"Oh and one more thing. In order to win a match, your opponent must either surrender or admit their defeat." Bendot screamed on the other side of the wall, "So! Do you accept the challenge! You all must vote now. Press _O_ for yes and _X_ for no."

It didn't take long for the votes to go through. Everyone in the group of five has pressed the circle option on their watch. Once the tallies have appeared on the LED screen on the side of the middle platform, it was time to start.

"I'll take on the first one up." The bulky man named Bendot said. 

Now was her chance, she can be the first one up to get them a point! If that..was even possible. She can't possibly doubt herself now. She knocked over a couple of guys back in the first phase of the exam! But..how can she possibly make someone as big as Bendot surrender. She can't do anything. Maybe there's a way.

"So who's gonna go first?" Killua asked, turning around to look at everyone. He noticed a detail that he didn't see before. (Y/n) was all the way back. Ah..wait..right. There was a pit in front of them, so no wonder she was beside Kurapika and Leorio. He tilted his head to the side as he found that no one was getting up and wanting to fight first. He shifted his body to look at the stranger at the front of the other hallway. Well he wasn't going first that's for sure. He was getting lazy to fight.

Everyone waited quietly. They all looked at each other, waiting for someone to say something. It wasn't long till someone did break the silence. (Y/n) pushed her some of her friends to the side. She had taken her backpack off and gave it to Kurapika so that he could hold it. A smile forms on her face as she looked at her friends.

There was an itching thought at the back of her mind. It spoke to her, in a similar tone that her auntie would talk to her in. It spat harsh words. It called her a coward, it called her a fool. It called her a useless pile of garbage who didn't deserve to pass. The voice made the girl's eyes widen for a moment, making her hesitate for a moment. (Y/n) gulps it all in. She hoped to get rid of the thoughts once she's on that platform.

"I'll go first so I don't have to go later on." The girl sent her friends a thumbs up, trying to say that she was gonna be okay.

A bridge extends from the platform that the five stood on. (Y/n) paused for a moment as she kept her eyes on the bridge. She stood still in her place. As long as she doesn't look down..she should be fine. The best that she could do at the moment was think that there wasn't an abyss beside her.

"You know you don't have to go." Gon said behind her. Her (E/C) eyes looked back to connect with auburn ones. The girl tried to keep her smile on, shaking her head. 

"I'll be fine. I think. It's better to go now and get it over with. I don't wanna be the person you guys..depend on for a tie breaker. Just..wish me luck okay?" (Y/n) spoke before she turned around.

"I'm not useless...I can help somehow-" (Y/n) muttered to herself. She takes her first step on the bridge. She keeps her eyes on the platform ahead, avoiding the sight of the pit that surrounded it. A hum comes from her as she felt her stride grow in confidence. She was getting a little better at this, she could..ignore it now. 

Once she was on the platform, she took the time to relax. She was on safe ground now..she was a couple of feet away from the edge. (Y/n) knew that at this point, there was nothing to be afraid of. The girl shoved the idea of falling off this wide platform in the back of her mind. The thing that she should be worried about is fighting this..person who looked to be two times her size. She's fought people before, well mostly sparring matches with her uncle. If she looks at her chances, she might even win. That thought makes her feel a little bit better about herself. 

The girl was slowly gaining her confidence and the image of the pit around the sides goes away from her mind.

Bendot started approaching her but he kept his distance. A smile was spread on his face, and compared to (Y/n)'s it was way more confident. His dark brown eyes pierce through her, finding her to be more neutral, but he knew that there was something up. By the way she was walking earlier, how she hesitated. She was a coward, but she pulled a facade to say that she didn't. His smile grew in size as he knew what to do. Push her off the edge. That would definitely break her.

"(Y/n)", the girl introduced herself.

"Bendot."

"How shall we do this?" (Y/n) asked. She takes in a deep breath, trying to regain more of her composure. She tries her best. All for that win. All to make her friends feel happy about her. All to prove that she was no coward, to prove that she wasn't useless to her friends.

"Lets do it my way. Fight to the death. How does that sound?" Bendot spoke. He crossed his arms across his chest as he looked at the girl. 

It took a bit for (Y/n) to process that information. Her mind was buzzing, her eyes slightly widened. Was this the moment she'll kill someone? No. No there must be more to this. The girl stood her ground, keeping herself silent and waiting for Bendot to say something else.

"We'll fight until one of us surrenders. Or one of us dies. That's how we win this match."

A sigh comes from (Y/n) as she took in this part of the match details. At least she can make him surrender instead of killing him. The female pursed her lips together to form a frown on her face. She gave the taller male a nod, agreeing to those terms. Her mind still buzzes, trying to find ways to make this man, who is two times the size of her, to quit.

Bendot got himself ready to advance. (Y/n) had done the same. She propped her body straight, her hands rested at her side. She was ready to move at any moment but her stance gave off an appearance that she plans on standing still. A hum comes from the girl as she stared at her opponent. A nervous feeling nestled in her chest, but the desire to win was much greater than that. 

"You're quiet huh? Well that doesn't matter. Let's begin!" The large bulky man had taken his advances after he spoke. A smile decorates the wind manipulator's face as she watched him go her way. It was as expected from him. Placing some nen on her feet, she swiftly moved to the side to avoid the grasp of Bendot. The girl moved closer to the center of the platform, where she felt the most comfortable. Her (E/C) eyes glance at Bendot, who seemed quite frustrated that he wasn't able to get her.

"You missed." (Y/n) smiled. The confidence was building in her chest. The sight of her opponents surprised fed her ego. That what happens when someone enjoys fighting people. She never bothered to worry about the edges anymore, as long as she kept herself far away from them. Her mind mostly focused on fighting someone, she focused more on winning. Maybe she was getting cocky, maybe she was getting _too_ into it.

The young female changes her stance, her body relaxing more. She sends Bendot a toothy grin, her hand waving around a peace sign. She could tell that she had riled him up, but how come he wasn't moving? A hum comes from (Y/n) as she forms air swirling around her hands. The air took in a shape of a ball as it floated above her hand. It's felt more like a ball too, due to how the particles were close to each other. It was close to becoming solid, but it not quite.

(Y/n) waited around, her feet tapping on the floor as she stared at Bendot. Within a second, she saw him move. He was coming from above. A sigh leaves her as she moved to the side once more. Will he ever learn that she was just gonna keep moving away from him? A frown was placed on her face as she looked at him. What a shame...it wasn't a nen user. So that means she actually has to put in effort into physical contact. Well..she can't knock him out so she might be cautious about that. 

(E/C) eyes stare at the tall bulky man, watching his actions as he advances once more. Her hands move around, forming a rectangle shape with the air to generate a shield that breaks the impact of Bendot's fist. That seemed to shock him. He could probably feel the solidified air that he punched. A confident smile was placed on her face as she looked at his face. She takes this chance to boost her speed, putting her nen focused on her hands With a swift punch, her fist hits his liver. He could definitely understand that. 

A hum comes from her as she looked at the older man. He stood his ground huh? Interesting. These _taskmasters_ are certainly something else! They can't possibly be just regular people. (Y/n) hits him once more this time it went in harder. She then pushed herself back when she felt that she's done enough damage.

The tall, bulk prisoner wasn't going to lose just yet. Bendot scoffs as he stares at the girl in front of him. He spits out the blood that filled his mouth. The girl does pack a punch but she was _weird._ There was something that blocked his hit. It was solid, yes, but he didn't understand what it was. He didn't _see_ anything. But should he worry about that when he could probably easily scare her? No.

"You're strong huh?" Bendot chuckled, shaking his head, "I know what you are."

"And what am I, _sir?"_ (Y/n) placed a hand on her hips. She felt a little more relaxed than she was before. Well she was more than relaxed at this point. She was riled up, she was ready for a fight, but all she's done is punch him and back off. She wants an actual fight, she can't continue to avoid him. Maybe she should get more close to him, get another hit on his face. That was her goal for now. 

"A coward."

"How so?" The girl ased as she took her stance once more, "Care to explain why?"

"You keep avoiding the edges. It's obvious that you're scared to go over there." Bendot spat out more blood that filled his mouth. He showed off a proud smile as he looked at the girl. She was quite unfazed about it but there might be that hint of fear in her now. That'll disrupt her cocky attitude.

"Say, how about we move nearer to the edge?"

"As if! You'll have to make me move there first!"

"Which is what I'll do." A low chuckle comes from the prisoner as he advances once more. This time he extends his hands, trying to get at her. He continued to push her back, farther away from the center of the platform and nearer to the edges. 

(Y/n) knew what was going on. In fact, he already told her his motive. She was lucky enough to take a sharp turn to the left before she could pass her own invisible border. Going past that would give her fear instead of riling her up. A frown now decorates her as she looks at Bendot, who seemed to stop. 

"So I was right. You don't wanna go near the edge. Coward."

"Don't think you can use that against me. I..I can beat you, even if you have that advantage." (Y/n) gulps. She takes more steps inward, letting Bendot watch her every move. Cautiously, she walked, keeping her guard up with every step.

"And how do you suppose you can do that, _girlie?_ Just because you're different doesn't mean you'll be able to beat me." Bendot scoffed as he stood tall. That seemed to stop (Y/n). Good, that was what the prisoner wanted. He wanted to waste more time with her. They've only been at it for around..45 minutes. At least that can be stretched to two hours.

"Don't think I won't." (Y/n) murmured. Her (E/C) eyes look straight at Bendot's darker browns. It was the girl's turn to advance. She had given herself a speed boost, making her quicker than normal. Her nen was quick to move around, as it was everywhere. Or at least it surrounded her. It was the air around her that she can manipulate. Sure she can generate some too but takes most of her energy honestly. Why make your own air when you already have some to play with? 

(Y/n) was close enough to Bendot for another strike, but he was cunning as well. He was quick, despite how bulky his figure is. The girl gasps as she felt him move away from her. Her head turns to find a punch coming her way. Her hands move around to build a quick shield, this time it pushed both of them.

The girl could tell that the shield wasn't strong enough to absorb all of the impact. A sharp feeling of pain comes from the center of her face. (E/C) eyes widen for a moment before they close in frustration. How can she make him surrender when all she's got are punches and blocks. Cursing to herself she glares at Bendot. He was still in shape but her? She was too and she wasn't gonna back down either.

Their exchanges were similar to each other. It soon turned into fisticuffs with (Y/n) and Bendot going at it until one of them is going to admit their defeat. It was obvious that the both of them won't back down from this fight, but the girl was progressively getting tired. Getting bored of just punching him, seeing as it had no effect, she settles for kicks. She jumps a height and finds herself close enough to his head. She makes a swift kick to his face. Since it's power with her nen, she managed to launch him close to the edge. 

Sweat drips from her forehead as she returns to an idle stand. Panting comes from the girl, finding that she was growing exhausted. She spits out the blood that was in her mouth. Blood dripped from her nose. She rolls her sleeve and used her bare arm to wipe it away. Her (E/C) eyes stare at Bendot's laying figure. Slowly she approached him. Her hands generate solid air that could push him away from her. He was close to the edge..he could easily be pushed off. (Y/n) knew that she could be pushed off as well. She doesn't...wanna kill anyone but if that's what she had to do to pass this stage then..she will have to resort to it. 

The young woman had to be cautious since this might cost her her life.

The teen wanted to have a match that ended in Bendot surrendering..not dying. She wasn't going to make him go off the edge if there was another way to negotiate with him. She wasn't a coldblooded killer, she had to consider the man first.

"Give it up." (Y/n) muttered. She looms over the bulky man's body. She thinks as she kept her gaze on him. The kick she gave him to his head might have given him some..damage up there. Perhaps she knocked him out but that can't be the case. The girl didn't want to knock him out, she wanted him to surrender, and now would be a good time. 

The prisoner pushes himself up slowly, finding that his vision was getting blurry. Had he gotten brain damage? No that can't be possible. However..how come it was difficult to push himself up? Bendot kept his hands on the floor, taking on a position that people take whenever they were doing push ups. His knees moved to help prop himself up but he could not do anything. A grunt comes from the muscular man, his eyes shifting to look at the teenager that he couldn't believe managed to beat him up good. 

He sent (Y/n) a scoff as he spits at the ground next to her. "No. As if I would- admit defeat to you."

The girl's frown grows in side. She shakes her head as she sighs. (Y/n) had gotten closer to him, close enough that she could do something. Moving most of her nen to her foot, she brings her foot down with more pressure. She stomps on his back, making him wince in pain. A low grunt leaves Bendot's mouth as his face hits the floor. 

"I wont ask again, _sir._ You already have brain damage, probably, so it's better if you just _admit defeat_." Venom coats (Y/n)'s tone as she continued to step on Bendot's body. "Do it. _Now_."

Silence fills the air as she continued to beat up the man's body. She didn't want to do this, she disliked having to torture this man more. All of this was necessary. Blood drips from her nose once more. A hum leaves her as she wipes that away. Her nose might be broken and she could feel pain, but she _wants_ that win. It doesn't matter what the hell happens afterwards. If she passes out then she passes out. But she won't pass out now.

"Fine. Your last chance. Give up or I'm gonna push you to the edge." (Y/N) stares at Bendot. She removes her foot away from his back, backing away from him. She gives him space to stand up and push himself up so that he could say it. If he could say those three damn words, it'll end. 

Bendot takes the time to push himself up. His sight is disoriented as everything he sees becomes doubled. It was hard for him to stabilize himself as the kick to the head was messed him up. He survived getting concussions before because he's strong. He can't possibly be weaker than this kid. But then again, this kid wasn't _like_ other kids. No no there's something weird about this one. 

The prisoner has done what needs to be done, and in that case he made them waste time. This fight took more than 2 hours, exactly 2 hours and 45 minutes. That's reduced time for him, for the rest of the prisoners here. Who knows, maybe someone else might waste more time. Besides, it looked like she wasn't going to give up anytime soon. His intimidation tactics didn't work and he actually had to put effort into this one. He was done playing with her.

A grunt leaves the prisoner as he finally got himself standing. He spits at the floor in front of her once more before he chuckles. "Fine. Have it your way. You beat me _._ " The tall bulky man spat at (Y/n).

(Y/n) looks up at the tall, bulky man. She was quite surprised that he gave up that easily. She thought it would be the other way around. Then again..they've been fighting for more than an hour now.

A small smile was spread across her face as she wiped away the blood that ran down her nose. "Good. I didn't wanna kill you." She extends a hand to him for a hand shake. Bendot stares at her for a moment before he does the same. Both fighters shake on it, saying that this fight won't be taken personally. 

"It was a good fight. Thank you for fighting me." (Y/n) kept her smile as she looked up at the prisoner.

A chuckle comes from Bendot as he shakes his head, "You know I can still hurt you right now. You're vulnerable."

"But I know you wont because you already lost."

"But that can't stop me, can it?"

"What will you gain from it? Nothing, right? So what's the point in doing extra things."

A sigh comes from Bendot before he starts laughing again, "Whatever. You win kid. Good on ya."

Both (Y/n) and Bendot start walking to where their bridges were. The male starts to stumble to the end where his bridge was. It was harder to navigate through this place as his balance wasn't at all great. He was getting double vision, which messes with his orientation, it messed with his balance as well. He would be lucky to make it to the other side. 

Pain starts to spread all over (Y/n)'s body. Aching appears on her sides, on her arms, and on her stomach. There were hits there. While she can take on big hits, she can't manage with it since she was exhausted. With every step, the girl slightly winces in pain. She tried to suppress the feeling so her friends don't worry about her. It was getting harder the more she walked. Her steps start off normal but eventually she starts to slow down.

But she makes it back alright.

"You did good out there, (Y/n)!" Gon approached the girl, his hand in the air for a high five.

The young female looks at his eyes before shifting to look at his hand. Shining a weak smile, she brings her own to meet with his. Her high five was weak but it was good enough for Gon, it seemed.

"You're lucky you didn't get beaten up super bad." Killua chimed in, "Still, it was kinda exciting to watch. Even if you got some hits on ya too."

(E/c) eyes connect with icy blues for a moment before they look away. "Lucky I didn't get beaten pretty bad..." (Y/n) repeats what she heard. She shakes her head, smiling a little. "Yeah..you're right." It was kinda weird how he didn't ask her about her nen. He was so pushy about it in the past phases, it was surprising that he didn't ask about it now. Especially when he had a better view of how her nen worked. Maybe he was just giving her a break. 

(Y/n) stumbles forward, heading deeper in the hallway they came from earlier. She takes a seat on a spot against a wall. Now..to assess to the damage done to her. 

Kurapika approached (Y/n) with a soft smile on his face. "Here. You had me hold your bag for you. You should get some rest " 

A hum comes from the girl as she nods her head. She grabs the bag that Kurapika held on to for her. They exchange smiles before the blonde walks away. The next person to check up on her was the oldest of the bunch. He looked a little pissed off that she hadn't taken care of herself. She wasn't really beat up, although she had taken some blows. Her face didn't look that bad. She was able to cushion most of the power of the punch that Bendot landed on her face. The only thing that might have been affected were her eyes and her nose. 

"Well. Like Gon said earlier you did good out there. You should be glad that I'm studying medicine." Leorio knelt down in front of the female. He grabbed his briefcase that sat beside her and opened it. Inside were medical supplies. It's safe to say that he was going to use it on himself, but he had a team to take care now. The pre-med took the pen that also had a small flashlight at the end. He shined in her face to see what kind of injuries she had gotten from the match.

"I know you have some bruising on your arms, probably on your sides. Your legs aren't bruised up bad...or well I can't really _see_ anything wrong with your legs. Your nose looks broken.. It's swelling up. We might need to get that looked at. At the very _least_ it doesn't look crooked, but still, you might need meds for that." The male spoke. He turned off the flashlight of the pen and grabbed some medication for her. Broken noses can sometimes be treated at home. It didn't look anything major happened to her. 

"Here. These are pain pills. Don't worry these aren't poison. All I've brought are medical supplies so you should be fine." Leorio handed (Y/n) a tablet, "I know you have water on you so you'll be fine." 

(Y/n) nodded her head before she got some water from her backpack. She drinks in the pill. The female wipes away any drops of water that escaped her lips. A frown decorates her face as she realized that the clothes she wore were white. They were going to get stained. A sigh leaves her as she shook her head. 

(E/c) eyes find Leorio still sitting there. He was looking for something in his briefcase. A smile spreads on his face as he found the thing that he wanted to find. It was a small handkerchief. The oldest male of the bunch looked at the girl, handing her the cloth. "Here. Use this to wipe away the blood. Keep your head back and breath with your mouth. Tell me if anything pops up, I _might_ know how to help ya."

The pre-med closes his briefcase and stands up. Leorio rejoins the other four boys, letting (Y/n) to herself. 

As instructed, (Y/n) breathes through her mouth. While she does have her nose covered by a cloth, she tries her best to breathe through her nostrils. It wasn't that hard really, but, it was bleeding quite heavily. She was happy that it wasn't crooked. It just might be a fracture and nothing more. There wasn't anything to worry about. The girl was told that she heals pretty fast for some reason. 

The teen girl was close enough to see what was going on. She hears a voice ring throughout the room. It didn't seem familiar, perhaps it was a new challenger or rather someone new completely. (Y/n) pushes herself to a stand, stumbling for a moment before she starts walking. Her body was feeling a little better after she took that pain killer. Still a little tipsy but doing a little better. 

"I overheard them. They're prisoners serving sentences. I can only assume that they're here to waste our time so they can have reduced sentences. If they're successful, they'll have their reduced sentences." Kurapika spoke. The blonde looked at his companions, smiling. He finds (Y/n) back to her spot. "And I thought you were resting, (Y/n)."

"I wanna watch.." The girl muttered. The (H/c) haired female kept the handkerchief to her nose.

"And I told you to sit back and rest. Doctors orders." Leorio approaches her, a frown decorating his face.

"As far as I know, you don't have your PhD yet, _Doctor_ Leorio."

"You'll heal faster if you _rest_ up."

"Whatever. I'm watching." (Y/n) scrunches up her nose, completely regretting as soon as she did it. A sharp pain made her jolt, causing her to stop and sit down.

"I'll go up next!" Gon grinned at his friends, "the next guy up doesn't look so bad. I feel kinda bad for (Y/n)."

"Ehh. Don't be! Just a broken nose, it doesn't bother me! I've been through plenty of fights so I'll be fine, Gon." The female of the group sent her friend a smile and a thumbs up. Gon did the same before he approached the center platform.

(Y/n) sat in between Killua and Kurapika on the cold, dusty stone floor. It was far enough from the edges but it was close enough that she could watch her friend challenge the prisoner. They had their discussions, some small things here and there, but their discussion led to the involvement of those not fighting. Bickering happens among the four again, this time it's mostly between Kurapika and Leorio. Ultimately Kurapika decided that it was Gon's choice.

"Oh! The long candle! Obviously it's gonna burn longer right? So I pick the longer candle!" Gon called over to his friends. As bright as he smiles, everyone could agree that maybe he wasn't so bright too. Everyone looked at each other dumbfounded, but they respected his decision. Everyone left in the hallway had pressed the circle button.

After that, Gon and Sendokan's match started.

The match wasn't at all that interesting. It was just taking care of some flame. If (Y/n) could extend her reach, she could easily blow the other's candle, but her range wasn't that far. She could only control the particles around her in a ten meter radius. If she had trained more, her uncle told her she could extend that range. Only if she trained more.

The fighting wasn’t tense at all. Must be how they bought time for each other. (Y/n) shifts in her seat as she looked closely, trying to find any form of foul play. It’s hard to do so, however, as her sight holds her back. She doesn’t have superhuman sight after all, she close to blind at this point! 

Gon moves around, trying to find a way to win this match. He was aware that there was a gust of wind that sweeps by every now and then. Both him and Sedokan stand still, trying to keep their flame still. A thought comes to his head as he continued to stare at the fire that burned the candle. His candle was getting progressively smaller. It wasn’t long till it started to get out of control.

The flame took shape of what looks like a fire that was placed on a firecracker’s wick. His auburn eyes stare at the bright light, his hands extending away from him. His eyes stare at it, his auburn eyes were quite curious to why it's happening. Of course after a while of thinking, his mind comes up with one conclusion! Aha! This candle isn't really a candle!

(Y/n) jolts in her spot, her eyes widening at the sight. "Oi! That's cheating!"

"Didn't you cheat earlier too. You used your _magic_ or something to win. Don't think we didn't see you earlier blocking attack with like- something- You can't say that, that'll make you a hypocrite ya know-" Killua murmured, looking at the girl in disbelief.

"I _utilized_ my ne- Oh! Whatever! That's not the point here right now. Gon's candle is gonna run out of wick." 

"A regular candle doesn't do that. That guy must have put some kind of accelerant!" Leorio starts pointing a finger at the prisoner that his friend was going up against, "And his candle is totally normal!"

"At this rate, the candle is going to run out of wax and Gon's candle will be no more." Kurapika muttered to himself. He studied the scenario closely, finding that the shorter one was the better choice. He cursed to himself for letting Gon choose. They can't do anything about that anymore. 

Gon looks to his friends and gives them a smile. That was quite odd, considering what's going on with his candle. He sent them that grin to tell them that he'll be fine. It'll all be okay with him! He's got a plan of course!

"The flame's super strong, it'll take more than an updraft to blow it out." Gon spoke. Placing his candle down, he wipes away the hot wax that got to his fingers. He looks at Sendokan, eager to move. Within a second, he was close enough to blow out the prisoner's flame. His auburn eyes look down at the smaller male, the same smile stuck on his face.

"I win." The boy clad in green waved a peace sign around, "That means another point for us!"

The bomber stood there, silently staring. He too was dumbfounded but he held his head down in shame that a mere teenager beat him. He didn't expect it however since the kid got there super fast. Sendokan shook his head before he headed back to his hallway.

That leaves two points for the examiness and the prisoners coming up empty. This year's examiness were surely remarkable.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I really really hate you for that. "

The crew all looked at each other. Most of them cheered for their recently received point. Killua held himself back, watching everyone celebrate. Why would they celebrate now when they've gotten only two points. What was required was one more point. By then they should be celebrating. Not now. Not when they're not even finished. 

"I'll be going up next then." Kurapika spared a smile to his companions. The male took a moment to gain some composure, breathing in and out to calm himself. He needed some prep..he didn't know what kind of person he would be facing so Kurapika finds it best to prepare himself.

A sigh comes from a white haired boy as he looked at the upcoming challenger. A smile spread across his face as he looked at this particular person. That's funny. How come he's blue? Body modification perhaps? He looks like a smurf. 

"Don't you think he looks a little funny, Gon?" (Y/n) asked. She could be seen snickering as she points at the man filled with tattoos and has a color of a blueberry, "Did you get his name? I'm gonna name him blueberry."

The comment Killua overheard brought a smile to his face before he quickly erased it. He stares at his friends, finding the girl's nose still bleeding. Her clothes were white..she could stain those and by the looks of it, she didn't have any spares. That handkerchief that she held against her nose was getting bloodier. It's better to have a dry cloth rather than reusing the same damp red one.

Well that was her own problem..why was he worrying about her? 

Shaking his head, he focuses on other things. While he kept himself away from the two other teenagers his age, he sends them occasional looks. Killua was unsure if he was able to approach them. He felt a little uneasy at how well they were getting along. Maybe he just needed some time to think about what kind of feelings he's getting right now. He feels happy whenever they talk to each other. Not that he was stone cold, it was just the idea of having friends that bothered him. He couldn't really talk to anyone else other than his family. They never got along with each other.

With these two, all three of them seem to click.

Killua shook his head once more, dismissing the thoughts that occupied his head. It's best to just go with the flow, see how things work out. He'll take it as a little _experiment_ , if one can call basic human interaction one.

Both (Y/n) and Gon had a smile on their face as they called over the lone teenager. Killua looked away for a moment before he scooted closer to them. He was hesitant to talk but once he was brought on to the conversation, he wasn't so shy anymore. He felt a little comfortable, a little laid back now.

"Why were you sitting away from us earlier?" (Y/n) asked, though her voice sounded muffled. The handkerchief was in the way of course.

"Yeah! Why's that Killua?" Gon chimed in, tilting his head to the side.

Killua shrugged his shoulders, his eyes never leaving the sight of the fight that's about to begin. "I dunno. Just needed to be alone for a couple of minutes. No biggie."

"Oh? I hope you're feeling well Killua." (Y/n) patted the boy's shoulder, sending him a smile. Though..the sight was blocked by the handkerchief.

All three teens had their gazes at Kurapika and that prisoner's match. What was his name again? (Y/n) had surely forgotten about it but did the other two remember it? Well whatever..she already established that she was gonna call him blueberry. It looks like _blueberry_ has been doing some drugs. He's super bulky. At least with Bendot, he looked like he actually worked for those muscles but poor ol' blueberry looks too buff. It's weird..it's unnatural. Honestly everything about this man seemed unnatural.

Blueberry, or going by his real name Majitani, starts talking about how the tattoos symbolized his kills and such. The girl listens curiously, disgusted almost by how someone can boast about that. Its like one of those people that she meets in online games who boast so much about their kill rate. They yap their mouth so much but when they get absolutely destroyed by another player, now that's another thing. She's been there..and she's did get a message from one once.

"What do you think of ol blueberry over there?" (Y/n) points at the prisoner that her blonde friend was going against. She turns her head to look at the three boys she was hanging out with. "He sure talks a lot..."

Leorio seemed a little confused to the nickname she gave the man, but eventually his expression changed. Now he wore a more neutral look. "Why the name _blueberry_?"

"He's blue. Ya know..like a blueberry."

"Right.." Leorio frowns, finding it weird that none of these kids find this guy scary. Even (Y/n), who seemed slightly scared during her match, didn't find this person frightful. Well maybe she was only scared that her opponent brought up the thought of heights, which she obviously had a problem with. Was he the only one that was slightly intimidated by these people?

"He seems a little..ya know...Intimidating. Besides those muscles are super hard and they also look unnatural. Trust me...I would know." Leorio murmured. A sigh comes from him as he looked at their only female companion, a frown on his face. Still not resting as he wanted her to. Darn kids...not knowing when to listen to adults. He shook his head as soon as the young girl looked at her two other friends. 

"I dont think he's intimidating. Even Bendot is scarier than him and he didn't even talk about his _kills._ He turned out to be a nice guy. For a prisoner that is." (Y/n) sighed. For a moment she turns her handkerchief to the side where it's not yet damp. "Ya know...he's not really that scary now if you look at him better. He looks just like a blueberry but with a little too much muscle."

"I can tell that he's lying about those kills." Killua mused. He points at Majitani before he turns his head to Leorio. A smile was on his face..it looked like he was getting a little cocky.

"A real killer wouldn't boast about his kills. Even if they took pride in their work, they wouldn't boast about it this much. The act of murder? Maybe. But this guy is a real fake. I can tell he's just saying those things to look scary." Killua leaned back, facing the match once more.

"Woah! Killua you know a lot of stuff!" Gon was smiling from ear to ear, finding the albino interesting. It wasn't everyday that you get to hang out with a trained, runaway assassin.

"Eh..I know my work..that's all."

Leorio looked at the three kids, who seemed unfazed. The older male was confused, he was concerned even. But what their business is..is not his business. Even if he wanted to know a little bit more. Leorio knew that Gon was an odd one. He took note of it especially after he proved to be cunning during that one..night before the hunter exam. Despite how extraordinary his physical attributes are..he's not so strong when it comes to thinking.

Killua and (Y/n) on the other hand were different to Leorio. They had met a couple of days ago. They both had their own charms, in Leorio's eyes. One was wilder and weirder and the other was laid back, for the most part. He could probably put together all the pieces that he's been given. He's already gotten one clue to what Killua is. Mention his _work,_ talking about murder and whatnot. It would be somewhat impossible to think that he was an assassin. (Y/n), however, is an oddball. He doesn't know much about her, but he knows that something's up with her.

Nevertheless, he was growing fond of them, but he was growing closer to the girl rather than the boy. 

"Say you beat that first guy right? Do you think that Kurapika's got a chance with him?" Leorio asked out of the blue, causing the three teens to stop talking. "They haven't started yet for some reason. I'm guessing they're still talking about their things. That's a lot of terms and conditions for a single fight don't you think?"

"They're probably..discussing how things are gonna work." Killua spoke, leaning back. His hands kept his back propped up and straight, his legs criss-cross on the floor. He tilts his head to the side as he noticed that everything is about to start. It's starting to get serious. Kurapika had just taken off his tribal gear. 

"I beat..Bendot yeah. I beat him cuz I was _somewhat_ confident that I would beat him. There were some ups and downs, yeah, but I did manage to beat him. I'm sure Kurapika does have a chance against this guy. I haven't seen him fight but I'm sure he can beat someone up." (Y/n) answered the pre-med's question, her gaze never leaving the fight. 

"I would have seen you guys fight back in the ship. You remember that right Leorio?" Gon chimed into their conversation, his usual smile spread across his face, "I think it was-"

"You almost flew out of the boat and both me and Kurapika had to grab on to your legs before you could die in the ocean. Yeah I remember that." Leorio sighed as he shook his head again, "Seriously you kids need to take better care of yourselves. You guys are putting yourselves in danger all the time."

"Well would the hunter exam be this exciting if there's no danger involved?" The albino turned his head to look at the oldest male of the bunch. A smile was also on his face, but it wasn't as big as Gon's. "If there were no dangers in the exam then what's the point of appointing people as hunters? Almost anyone can pass this test if there weren't any dangers."

"Ahh! Well yeah that's true!" Gon nodded his head, "It is kinda fun and exciting with all this danger."

"Shhhh!" (Y/n) looked at the boys around her, her index finger pressed against her lips. She then points to the two fighting on the middle platform, "Over there. They stopped moving. There's this..giant spider tattoo on _Blueberry's_ back."

Everything seemed still around Kurapika and _Blueberry_. Well, everyone could see that there's some tension in the room. It wasn't suffocating anyone but it sure did bring pressure. Chuckles came from Majitani as he looked at the shocked expression of the blonde that he was fighting. Has that tattoo ticked him off or perhaps scared him? He knew that planting that thing on his back proved to be useful. A prideful smirk displays itself on the prisoner's face.

"Ah..I didn't show you this one did I?" Majitani started to laugh once more, "That's right! By the look on your face, you're familiar with them too huh! I'm part of the group, I'm part of the phantom troupe."

"Phantom...troupe?" (Y/n) asked herself, not knowing that someone would hear her.

"Shouldn't you know these people by now?" Killua spoke, "They're a group of bandits or something. I'm not really concerned with them though...but they're there."

"Kurapika knows about these people. He's got like..something personal against them." Gon said. His facial expressions relaxed as curiousity overpowered his usual happiness. His was smaller than usual.

"Well that's what he said. Something about that earlier on the boat. We had a talk about that days before this." Leorio was the last one to add on to that conversation before they were all taken back by the silence in the room.

The blue male boasted about it so lightly. Everyone was on the edge of their seats. They all looked with interested eyes, curious to what Kurapika might do. They didn't expect the shorter male to grab the other and slam him to the ground. There Majitani laid on the cracked platform, his body not moving. 

Each member of Kurapika's team had similar reactions. Gon and (Y/n) had their mouths open as they saw their blonde friend slam the prisoner to the floor. They both looked at each other with a little twinkle in their eyes. Leorio had his eyes wide, with surprise mostly. Well someone that big getting beat up by someone smaller than them was quiet a sight really. Even the event made Killua's eyes widen a little bit. Everyone was a little excited about the sight.

There Majitani laid on the floor, still. Might he be dead, or perhaps alive? No one knows. But one thing's for certain, Kurapika is the one to come back to the platform. The blonde had his head down as he continued to walk the metal bridge. He may have spoken some words with others but it was clear that he wasn't really feeling well. The blonde went further in the hallway, stopping at a point and sat down.

(Y/n) watched him closely, her eyes following him. She felt a little concerned, yet also she felt a little happy or excited. It was an expected feeling of giddiness. They may have just won another point but it wasn't determined until the other person has admitted defeat. Majitani's terms were the same as Bendot's, in which one has to surrender for the other to earn a point. No one uttered a word similar to that.

The girl stood up from her sitting position. With one hand she held on to the handkerchief that soaked up the blood coming from her nose while the other tugged on the strap of her backpack. (Y/n) approaches her friend cautiously. There was a feeling in her chest that's telling her that she should do something. Perhaps talking to him might work. Maybe..Kurapika would like some sweets?

(Y/n) found a spot beside her blonde friend, a soft smile graces her face. Using her free hand she takes off her backpack and pulls out some stuff that he might like. Her (E/C) eyes look at Kurapika, finding that he had grown curious to what she was doing. 

"There's no need." Kurapika spoke, looking away from her. His eyes were back to normal. There was no need to hide them away. He felt a little bit uneasy but he was somewhat relieved about something. His rage hasn't died down yet, and at this point on, he knows that it never will. He was feeling..okay..just bits and pieces of bitter feelings have not washed away yet.

The teenage girl looked at her companion, keeping her somewhat gentle gaze on him. She didn't wanna leave him. No no, not until he feels a little bit better. Besides..she needed some rest too. (Y/n) shifts her gaze to look at Killua, Gon, and Leorio, who were all staring at them. They didn't bother moving...they just look at them, silently watching. Eventually the three go back to discussing among themselves, leaving both (Y/n) and Kurapika to themselves. 

A sigh comes from the female as she connected gazes with her friend, finding calm greys. A hum comes from her as she put her hand down, letting her backpack rest on her lap. "Your eyes changed color, Kurapika. I saw they were different earlier."

"It..does that." The older teen mumbled, "They turn red whenever I feel rage." Kurapika felt a little weight go off his shoulders. He didn't have a hard time talking to her, seeing as they've all been stuck to each other for a couple of days now. He's already fond of her and he trusts her about some matters. 

(Y/n) felt a little relieved that he was happy to share that with her. She doesn't really know if he's okay or not, which is why she wanted to make sure that he was. So far..it does look like it.

Her hands grab a small granola bar at the side of her backpack, not knowing that the picture she had stuffed in that very corner had come out along with it. She hands it to him, or well at least she waits for him to accept it. Silence falls on the two again, their gazes soft. 

"Like I said..no need to, but I appreciate your offer." The friendly interaction helped Kurapika a little bit. He was relieved that someone was there to talk to him. With the small conversation, he was already feeling a bit better. He placed a hand on top of the female's, pushing it down so that she could return the snack back to her backpack. His grey eyes look at a photo he spots on the floor. He grabs it without hesitation.

The blonde studies it. The more he looked at it, the more he noticed some things. It was an old photo, but it was kept in such a good shape that you might think that it was recently captured. Ever since the arrival of digital cameras, a layout like the photo he held in his hands were a relic. It had a Polaroid frame, which told of its age. The little girl in the photo was none other than (Y/n). Kurapika could tell just by her features.

"This must be yours." Kurapika spoke, turning his attention to (Y/n).

The girl had wide eyes as she looked at the image that Kurapika had in his hands. She takes it, gently of course. The last thing that the young woman wanted to do was damage it. A smile graces her features as she looked at the photo.

"If you're wondering, it's an old photo of me and my dad. He brought me to an aquarium. It was my first time you know." (Y/n) thought that chatter would help her friend. She didn't really know that he was already feeling better.

"Whenever I look at it, it helps me feel a little bit better about myself. It's like my dad is smiling at my achievements. I'd do anything to see my dad again. Which..is why I'm working on tackling my fears on heights. I had..to oppress the thought in my mind, since it was what my old man would do," A chuckle comes from (Y/n) as she places the old photograph in her bag, " Maybe..thinking about happier times helps. I know people have their own way of handling problems but that's how I help myself."

"Ah..I see," Kurapika nods his head, smiling once more, "I appreciate that you're helping me out, (Y/n), but really...I'm already feeling okay."

"Oh? Really? Well, I'm just making sure Kurapika."

The two exchanged glances, each had smiles planted on his face. The girl eventually stood up and walked away to leave her blonde friend some space. Although Kurapika does feel a little bit better, he'd doubt that he would be able to withstand seeing that blue fraud still laying there. It made him bitter...it made him disgusted that someone would pose as someone who was affiliated with that gang. Dwelling with his own silence, Kurapika finds time to rest.

(Y/n) was welcomed back to the group of three that she walked away from. She sat in between Gon and Killua, with Leorio standing beside her. He crouched down, almost to a sit. The girl's legs crossed each other, letting her sit comfortably. The handkerchief was still against her nose, her hand turning it every time the spot felt..damp.

"He's feeling ok right?" Gon asked, tilting his head to the side. His auburn eyes look back to his blonde friend, seeing him quietly sulk around to himself. He did say he was fine earlier but now he's a bit unsure. (Y/n) did just go and check up on him though, and she's already back with a smile on her face.

"Ah..yeah he's feeling ok. That's what he told me. If he's not, then we'll have to leave him alone for now. I didn't wanna press him and besides, he was smiling earlier so that's an okay in my book."

"What if he's just doing that to tell you to go away?" Killua muttered, causing eyes on him. One pair in particular he could sense was glaring at him. And who's eyes might those be? Well none other than the girl who just returned back. The albino could hear her huff loudly. His dark blues watched as a frown decorated the girl's (S/c) face.

"Well he said so himself and I believe him. Like I said, I didn't wanna be annoying so I just left him alone." (Y/n) sighed.

The four of them sat for a while, thinking for a moment. They all stared at the blue body that never left the middle platform. No one bothered to even get him either. That was weird..something seemed off, but no one did anything. All they did was just look at the unconscious blue figure. 

"Leorio do you have anymore handkerchiefs. I didn't pack any.." the female muttered, breaking their silence. Her (E/c) eyes look at darker browns. Unfortunately, the oldest male shook his head. A frown now decorates (Y/n)'s face as she looked at blueberry, who laid unconscious on the floor. 

"Sooner or later you're gonna have to throw that away, " Killua spoke. His cat like blues look at (Y/n)'s eyes.

"I know. I hope by then my nose will stop bleeding, or at least like...the stream isn't gonna be that bad," she replied. She turns her head to look at Leorio, finding that the medic was also troubled by the fact. "Napkins? Tissues? Something absorbent would help right now." 

"If I had any, I would have given to you by now." Leorio scoffed. 

Now this was a troubling situation. A sigh comes from (Y/n) as she looked at her sleeves. Well it was just a shirt. It was a long sleeve that you could find in any clothes store, for a couple of jenny. She takes the handkerchief that was on her nose, her eyes looking at the mess that she had created. Her nose continued to bleed, which was not really much of an issue. She could heal soon..probably. She was hoping so.

The girl tossed the bloody handkerchief to the side. The absence of it let the blood flow freely down her face. Her hand grasps the sleeves on her, ripping a piece of her white clothing.

"(Y/n)...why did you do that?" Gon asked, tilting his head to the side. He watched her actions, puzzled by how she was doing things. 

"Well..obviously I have to use something to get all of this blood off of my face. If I let it fall freely it's just gonna stain my whole shirt." Using the white cloth in her hand, (Y/n) wipes away the blood that flows down her nostrils. It's only a little bit of her sleeve anyway. Just the ends of it. It's thick enough to absorb some of the liquid. She can use it a second time later...something like that. 

"Hey mind tossing that handkerchief somewhere else. That's yours now. I ain't keeping that with me anymore." Leorio muttered to himself, crossing his arms. A frustrated sigh comes from the oldest teen as the young female sent him a look before her eyes went somewhere else. He didn't wanna have to deal with that. The very least she could have done is throw it away or something. There _was_ a pit in front of them.

The pre-med shook his head, his dark brown eyes look at the bloody handkerchief. He kicked it off the edge, letting the cloth fall down slowly. He then changes his gaze to stare at the blue figure resting flat on his face. Leorio's eyebrows furrow at the sight. He was wondering why they haven't moved his body yet. He has to be dead right? Majitani's not moving at all. Wait wait..that was their third point..was it not? How come no one is moving?

"Hey guys..." Leorio turned his head to look at the three young teens, his eyes squinting a little, "Don't you think we should be leaving by now? We did just win another point right?"

"Well we can't really say that for sure. _Blueberry's_ terms were kinda the same as my opponent's terms. Blueberry didn't say anything earlier so technically the match isn't finished yet." (Y/n) spoke, her voice a little muffled due to the white cloth in front of her mouth. 

Gon and Killua nodded their heads, their eyes finding their way to stare up at Leorio's shocked dark browns. 

Well would Leorio want to believe that kid's word? Probably not. A sigh comes from the oldest male as he returns his gaze back to the figured on the other side of the room.

"Oi! Hello! Move that body cuz it's time for us to go!" Leorio waved his hand in his air to catch the attention of the other prisoners left over. He continues to do this, causing everyone to look up at him. 

"Hello!" The oldest male of the group called out once more, waving his hand faster, "Come on! Just get the body out of there so we can get a move on!"

"The match isn't over." A woman spoke back. Her voice was calm, almost had a tone that says she knows everything. The owner of the feminine voice walks closer to the edge of her platform, but she never crosses the bridge. No one knew the intentions of this woman but one thing's clear...she objects Leorio's request to move Majitani's body. 

"What do you mean the match isn't over? You guys are either blind or just trying to run on time. The match _is_ clearly over! The guy's just laying there!"

The hooded woman seemed to look up, seeing as how her head moved. The tall male had to be a bit cautious but his actions were getting quite irrational. He was growing impatient, as he wanted to go and get out of this place. His eyes watched her cross the bridge and stop in front of the blue man's body. She knelt down to feel the body. From this distance, a normal human can tell that the body is dead but..that didn't seem to be the case.

"He's still alive. Your match isn't over because it's a fight to the death. One person has to holler _stop! I admit defeat!_ or die in order to earn a point. He's still alive and he did not say anything that sounded like he surrenders." The woman's voice was loud and clear. She wanted to prove a point, she wanted to prolong the time they all waste in this area.

"Well then that's easy. Oi..Kurapika go and finish that guy over there." Leorio spares a glance at his blonde friend, his finger pointing at the blue body who laid unconscious on the stone floor. 

Kurapika simply stared at him with a frown on his face. Why would he even suggest that? The man has had enough and he was sure that Majitani has learned his lesson. A sigh comes from the clansman as he shifts his gaze to look at the floor. His response was simple but effective.

"No."

With just one word, bickering filled the air. Leorio looked at Kurapika like he had recently been betrayed. The bickering didn't stay among those two. It involved everyone around them. (Y/n) didn't want to say anything but Leorio had dragged her into the conversation. It was to a point where she did have to say something. Frankly, the girl didn't wanna have to bicker, she didn't wanna have to argue about something like this. 

Everyone was against Leorio's idea of finishing Majitani off. The stress built up on his shoulders as he felt like he was in the minority. He felt pushed down, he felt alone on this. It was enough to get him to finally shut himself off. Angry and huffing, the pre-med walks off to a secluded corner of the hallway to sulk around and try to let his anger die down. Everyone watched Leorio quietly. Words were exchanged among the group.

"I feel kinda bad." (Y/n) muttered to the group. She felt a little sorry for the oldest male as she knew how it felt to have everyone against you. Sure she sympathized with him but that doesn't mean she supports his idea of finishing off someone. The idea of having to kill...it made the girl feel weird. She didn't like it one bit. Sure she had her fair share of video games where there were murders, but those were _just_ video games. This is real life...there's no respawn here.

Silence falls in the room, causing everyone to stand still. Minutes pass by and those turned into hours passing by. No one uttered a word...no one bothered to do anything at all. They all just sat and waited. One person was growing irritated of all the waiting, almost to the point where she can't sit still anymore.

"He's not moving anymore..What the hell! We've been sitting here for hours now!" (Y/n) complained. With her free hand, she scratches her head to get rid of stress building up on her shoulders.

"And by the looks of it, he'll never move at all," Killua muttered, his eyes looking at Gon and then at (Y/n), "So the real question here is..is the man really unconscious or dead?"

Leorio emerged from his sulking corner to appear in the light. He approaches the three teens who stared at the body. After a while of ranting to himself in his head, he finally has a clear mind. Now he could see that something seemed fishy around here. The pre-med was beginning to think that the woman's claims were false, that she just lied to them. How can you really tell a living body from a dead one if you're not there to feel it?

A lightbulb has appeared in Leorio's head and it was sure shining brightly! A thought had appeared, a proposal rather. He wanted to check himself if the person was dead or alive. He can't trust the woman's word. Why didn't he think of this before?

"Hey! You! Lady over there! You say he's unconscious right?" Leorio yelled loud enough for the prisoners to hear. He starts waving his hands around to grab their attentions, "How can I trust your word on that?"

A cloaked figure appeared from the shadows, their hands still bound. With a loud booming voice, the figure spoke, "Care to bet on whether he's alive or not?" Judging by the voice it was the same female that told Leorio that the male was alive. 

(Y/n) watched closely from her position. She discarded the red cloth she held in her hand. Looks like the waiting around helped her. Only trickles of blood ran down her nostrils. That wasn't a problem..she can probably wash that up with water later on. For now, she'll just use her arm. A hum comes from the girl as she kept her gaze on the cloaked woman. A feeling in her gut was telling her that this was gonna be a start of another battle.

To which, (Y/n) was right. Despite the fact that it looks like they've already won their matches, another match was created in between. It was a betting battle between Leorio and the female prisoner. The woman wagers that she'll get an additional 50 years in her sentence if she loses, but if she wins, the group has to spend 50 hours inside a room somewhere. Leorio didn't hesitate of course to take this, but he was held back by Kurapika. Both of them had their disagreements but in the end, Leorio was still able to push through with it. (Y/n)'s eyes seemed to grow wide for a moment. She had realized something.

This _betting_ thing. This was gambling..and the girl wasn't too fond of gambling. She associates it with someone that she doesn't quite like. Someone she ran away from...a person that made her life almost like a living Cinderella story.

(Y/n) takes in a deep breath as she looks away from the scene. She shakes her head to get rid of the thoughts that occupied the space in her mind. The awful memories. It made her feel bitter to the point where she too wants to sulk in the corner and not watch this match. The thing that's holding her back from doing that is the thought of her father cheering her on. It was what she usually had her brain thinking about whenever she felt troubled. It gave her strength to ignore urges like sulking away in the corner.

This match was important to everyone as it involved everyone in the room. She can't just ignore it.

The girl jumps when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her (E/c) eyes stare at auburn eyes. The owner of that pair seemed to be concerned about her now. She wasn't paying attention earlier, as she was preoccupied with the ideas buzzing around mind, but Leorio was now on the platform. The man placed a bet that the man was still alive. At least that was a good one. It'll certainly secure them a point but now that Leorio was in a match, they have to finish that too.

"You doing okay? We were calling you earlier but you weren't responding. You thinking about something, (Y/n)?" Gon asked his friend, a soft smile decorating his features. 

(Y/n) nodded in response, unsure if she wanted to talk about what was troubling her. The last thing she wants is to be called a coward or a weakling, so she chooses to ignore his offer for help. 

Gon didn't wanna ask further but he knew something was wrong. It was like what was going on with Kurapika. Of course he cared for the people he considered friends, which is why he was asking things like this. Of course, he didn't wanna invade their personal bubble so he just doesn't. Still..(Y/n) should know that he's here to help as much as he can. 

Focusing more on the match at hand, (Y/n) couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. The girl doesn't speak about her discomforts as she feels that it is necessary. This match is necessary for them to move on. This will give them the point they deserve and then afterwards they'll be outta here. 

But wait...who's to say that right after they'll get their point Leorio will be done with his match?

No one knows for certain. 

Leorio's match had finally given Kurapika's match closure. As soon as bets started to roll in about Blueberry's wellbeing, a break could be seen. Leorio places a bet that would lose him points for sure. The female places a bet that Majitani would wake up as they started on this topic. Holding him close to the edge, Leorio stared at Majitani, his eyes glaring at the blue body. 

He wouldn't wake up..right? If that does happen..he'll lose the points he's got.

"You can't do that. If you kill him, that'll be aiding your teammate over there. You'll be winning him a point." The cloaked woman spoke her concerns. It was unsure how the woman was feeling but by how she sounds, she sounds quite concerned that it might earn her enemies a point. 

"Fine. If he yells while falling then Kurapika will lose a point. That seem fair to you?" Leorio spoke, his eyes steady on the cloaked figure. He didn't spare the Majitani a glance at all.

"That seems fair. If that's the case, let me double my bet. I'm betting 40 hours that on him waking up."

"Sure."

Seconds seemed a little longer for everyone as they watched Leorio let go of Majitani. Within half of a second, Majitani's body springs up. His hollering causes everyone to look at him instead of Leorio or the cloaked woman. In between those cries of words, he admits his defeat, which gives Leorio's team a point. 

That secures that they'll progress to the next level.

A smile finds its way to (Y/n)'s face, though it was smaller than normal. Sure she doesn't really like how Leorio is gambling their time but..at least he helped secure them a point. After this, they'll be able to progress forward. But..there is a problem that stops them from moving.

Leorio was still in a match.

A pout comes back to the girl's face as she points at her tall friend. She spares Killua and Gon a glance as she kept her finger pointed at Leorio. "We can't move until they're finished huh."

"That looks like it." Killua replied, "Besides..why should you worry about it? We already won ya know."

"I don't think Leorio's gonna win though..Look at those points over there. The prisoner has more points than us. Leorio has 20 points." Gon added to their conversation, "If he loses, does that mean we'll lose hours still?"

"I dont think that'll be the case." Kurapika approached the younger teens with a smile on his face, "We've already secured our win, whatever Leorio does here wouldn't be much of a big deal."

"Well That's what I'm hoping..." (Y/n) sighed, slouching forward just a bit. A frown still decorates her (S/c) face. She shifts her gaze to look at Leorio's match.

This match progressed faster than the other matches. Hell..even Gon's fast was a little slower than this. The prisoner has the upper hand though..which didn't look good. Their scores were now 80 to 20 and well..Leorio is not doing so well. It was the woman's turn to pick a battle and frankly, (Y/n) was a bit scared about the topic she was going to propose. It would be an easy win if she would propose _that_ topic.

To which..the woman did. The prisoner Leroute calls for a bet on whether or not she was a woman or a male. There was an obvious answer to this question but something tells her that Leorio would wager for the opposite sex just to he could _verify_ that Leroute was a woman. It could be a trick question too, which is why he's going to check to make sure that Leroute is a girl.

(E/c) eyes glare at the male standing on the middle platform. A frown replaces her neutral smile as she watches his every move. "Don't you dare do it. I swear to god- Leorio-" (Y/n) mutters to herself, not really expecting anyone to hear her.

"He'll bet that she's a man." Kurpika spoke, sharing his frustrations with her.

"Yup. He's definitely gonna do it." Killua added in. 

Gon looks at everyone, confused to why they think that Leorio would bet on the opposite gender. That's..weird. He didn't get it, but he feels like he should know what's going on. Shaking his head, the black haired boy stared at his friend who was competing for another point. 

"I bet 10 hours that you're a guy!" Leorio speaks of his bet. He had a grin on his face, something that (Y/n) was not fond of seeing.

"Are you fucking..kidding me." The girl muttered to herself. (Y/n)'s head hangs low, shaking her head. Well so much for this _extra point_. Now she was really hoping that this doesn't transfer to her team losing hours because if they really lose hours due to Leorio's stupid decisions, he's really going to get an earful from her. The young woman doesn't care if the pre-med is older than her, he should be aware that there is a girl watching him!

Disgust embeds itself in her gut as she felt disappointed mix in as well. This wasn't gonna end well. Leorio's gonna end up losing a point, even if this point wasn't needed.

"You gonna give him an earful later?" Killua snickers as he nudges the girl sitting beside him. An immediate glare was sent to him, to which he didn't understand why he was giving her that look. It must be because she's just angry at everything right now.

"You fucking bet I'm gonna give him an earful. What a perv." A frustrated sigh leaves (Y/n)'s lips as she continued to watch the match. The emotions were bubbling in her stomach. It was piping hot, it was boiling. She didn't like how that sight sat in her mind for a while, but she had to deal with it because Leorio's here with them. They're a team...but she wasn't so sure what she feels about the oldest male of the bunch.

As expected, the match ends up with Leorio losing and the prisoner winning. Leorio was just about to walk back to where everyone else was but he was stopped by the woman he was going against. Leroute had a proud smile on her face as she pointed at her wrist, indicating the watch. 

"Don't think you can walk away just like that. Your hours still apply, even if you manage to win prior to it. You wagered hours did you not? Well it's time to pay up, boy. You five are not going anywhere" Leroute showed off her shit-eating grin to everyone in the room. She wasted their hours by proposing that match to him and now they're going to waste more hours! The prisoners might not have won but at least she took away some of the examinees time.

Leorio looks at the woman before looking back at his friends. He could feel their glares pierce him, judging him. The heaviest one had to be coming from (Y/n), the one who was actually a girl. A pang of anxiety hits the tall male as he looks back at the woman before he shifts his eyes to his watch. That..wasn't good.

Leroute sends Leorio a wink before she waves him a goodbye. She was happy, it was clear on her face that she was. The short woman hops back to her bridge, taking a seat on the floor as soon as she goes back to her platform. Leorio walks back to his platform, anxious to find out what will happen to him. 

As soon as he was close enough, (Y/n) jumps high enough and slaps Leorio on the face. She descends back down gently, her foot immediately goes to tapping the floor. Her hands were crossed and her glare was vicious. 

It was an expected response to Leorio, as he did just do it in front of another girl. She probably feels disgusted but hey, what's done is done. There's no way he can change that.

"I didn't think that it would transfer to us losing hours." Leorio muttered, rubbing the red hand print on his face. He's gotta admit, the girl can pack a slap.

"Well maybe if you _thought_ about that one bet before you did anything, maybe we wouldn't be spending hours! You just wanted to get a touch didn't ya, you asshole! Now because of you we're losing hours and we might not even get pass this third phase, so thanks _a lot_ , genius!" (Y/n) huffed, sticking her tongue out at Leorio. 

"Alright alright- jeez- I get what you're saying. I'll do better next time. I'm sorry" Leorio hangs his head low, trying to apologize to the female. He knew what he did affected the girl in a negative way. The pre-med thought about it, sure, but he didn't really consider the girl's reaction. He thought she was just gonna tell him that what he did was wrong. He didn't really expect a slap.

Hearing that he was sorry wasn't really going to cut what he did earlier but hey..at least he did say sorry. A sigh comes from the only female in the group as she shook her head. She lets her anger die down for a moment. Her fingers pinch the bridge of her nose as she shook her head. Exhaling the air she sucked up, she looks up at Leorio. (Y/n) still had a frown but at least she wasn't as angry now.

"Apology accepted. But the next time you do that, I won't be so forgiving!" The girl stuck out her tongue at the tallest male once more before she started walking. This time she was taking the lead, with the other following her.

"Well that's one thing that ticks her off. I'll try and avoid that.." Gon spoke, pulling on the straps of his backpack. He felt a nudge come from Killua, making him look his way.

"I think that applies to all girls you know." Killua told him, "Not just her."

"I see," the black haired boy muttered.

The group of five move forward, past all the prisoners that they fought. Bendot and (Y/n) exchanged glances for a moment before they walk away from each other. Killua looks at the cloaked figure in the corner of the room. He thought about it for a moment. 

If (Y/n) had lost..he would have had to fight that last person. 

Who would that last person be anyway? Should he even think about it more? 

Probably not. What's the point.

Shaking his head, Killua kept his focus to entering a room that they had to stay in for 50 hours. 

Once everyone was in the small, cozy room, the tension eased up a little bit. Everyone had put their shoes together near a wall and each person had their own part of the room. Kurapika went straight to where the books were, as he figured it was a good source of entertainment. Killua and Gon stuck to one corner of the room doing whatever they wanted to do. Leorio had another couch to himself and there he sat and pondered about things. (Y/n) was rummaging around through the cupboards and drawers to find something to wipe her nose. 

After a while of searching, her eyes come across the sight of tissues neatly stacked on top of each other. (Y/n) would be lying if she said she didn't almost cry at the sight of them. Taking the whole stack of tissues, the girl found a couch that she sat on comfortably. She plugs tissues in her nostrils as she leaned back. Little droplets were left in her nose, so it wasn't as bad as before. She could tell it was almost finished.

Just when she felt like she could fall asleep, she felt someone plop down beside her. (Y/n)'s eyes open to find Kurapika sitting beside her, a book in his hand. He had a smile on his face. Normally..he wouldn't do this right? But..the girl wondered..what made him want to sit next to her?

"I believe this is the right time to ask you," Kurapika spoke, his gaze connects with curious (E/c) eyes, "I noticed some things during your match, I'm sure everyone else saw it too. You don't mind explaining that..right?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Sometimes it's better for you to find it out yourself. "
> 
> An oc appears here, please don't mind her, she's sort of essential for plot :"^

Eyes immediately turn wide as soon as familiar words filled the air. (Y/n) looked at Kurapika as if she had seen a ghost. Even he was curious too?! Well if he was asking..then that must mean he was also curious. She can't really tell them, she doesn't even know how to explain nen! Yeah sure it's about aura but she can't say it to them. Her incapability to talk about nen was all due to her uncle's warning. She would only say it to people who she deemed worthy. 

But all of these people seemed worthy to her.

Her opinion on Leorio is a little shaky at the moment but she trusts him. A little bit anyway

The girl's lips arch into a frown as she pulled out the tissue pieces she stuffed in her nostrils. She was able to breathe now, but there was still some congestion. (Y/n) concluded earlier that she broke her nose, which mean it'll take her a while to heal. At the max..around a week or two. Seeing as they were staying here for around 2 and a half days, she could heal faster. At the very least she wasn't outside and doing anything physical.

(Y/n) throws the tissues away in a nearby trashcan, leaving Kurapika's question unanswered. She could feel the gaze of Killua and Gon on her, and soon Leorio looked at her too.

"Yeah..what the hell did you do during your match?" Leorio sat up and fixed his glasses. His legs were far apart and his arms rested on his lap. He faced her. Everyone had done so. 

(Y/n) was in the spotlight.

A soft laugh comes from the girl as she looked around her, her hands stuffed in her pant's pockets. She shook her head, smiling to herself. (Y/n) had already settled that they were indeed worthy, but now seemed too soon. It was best to tell them that they were..seeing things. If they ever believe that excuse.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about. We had regular fisticuffs back in my match. I blocked with ease of course." (Y/n) spoke. She moves back to the couch, sitting in her old spot. She had her backpack on her lap, hugging it as a form of comfort.

"You don't look like the type of person who could handle a punch. The prisoner you were going against was clearly stronger than you, physically that is." Killua added in to their conversation. He was leaning against a wall and had his hands stuffed in his pockets. A pout displayed on his face as he connected eyes with Kurapika. 

"You know she's never going to answer. I've been asking her since the start of the exam and she's not speaking up." A hum comes from the albino, turning his eyes away from the blonde's steel grays. 

"Is..that so?" Kurapika responded. He shifts his gaze to connect with (Y/n)'s. She was clearly avoiding this topic for some reason. 

But was there a reason to press her on such a matter? Perhaps not.

However, at the same time Kurapika knows that his curiosity is going to eat him up eventually. He knows something blocked the physical exchanges between the girl and her opponent, but it was transparent. He couldn't see anything that could cushion such a blow. Nothing appeared in front, not a pillow, nothing. It was clear. 

The male was sure of what he saw, though..the more he thought about the situation, he comes to a separate conclusion that he might have seen something else. What if she said was true? That she blocked with ease and that she wasn't damaged as much. The distance between the arena platform and their hallway was a large length. Maybe he _was_ seeing things, and he was imagining it. There really can't be a logical explanation for it.

That is, at least, what Kurapika thought.

"That's simple. You think I'm magic when I'm clearly not, you big dummy," (Y/n) stuck her tongue out and smiled, "Besides! It's not important. I think you guys are gonna learn it..eventually. Even if I tell you guys about it, you guys are gonna be like ' _Oh can you teach us how to use it?'_ as if I can actually teach it." 

"Well I call you _magic_ because I can't even see a logical explanation to whatever the hell you're doing." Killua responded shortly. The albino sent her a short glare before sighing. He rolled his eyes, trying to avoid getting frustrated.

"Ah..I can't see any logical explanation either to it also, (Y/n). But there's no need to explain if you don't want to talk about it." Kurapika smiled at her. He leaned back on the couch she sat on and turned his head to the look at the book in his hand.

"Thank you, Kurapika," the girl mutters before she looking at Killua and Gon, "Seeee, at least Kurapika knows when to quit!"

"But how come you can't tell it to us, kid. I mean..it's probably something easy to say. You just gotta say the name of it and then we'll probably just look it up ourselves," Leorio kept the conversation going, even if the others gave it closure. Everyone's eyes turned to him, some curious or astonished. One pair, however, seemed to be still. (Y/n)'s eyes were.

Now there were two people after her. Not that nen was a secret to anyone who had connections to those who used it. Hell..her papa and her uncle knew how to use it and they got that from their grandfathers. These people didn't seem to have those kinds of friends or family so the idea or name was unknown to them.

Killua, on the other hand, came from a family of assassins. (Y/n) was thinking that he should have heard of or learned about the concepts of nen at his pre-teen years. But here the boy is, asking what's up with her.

There were no qualifications on learning nen, but (Y/n) knew that telling nen to people with ill intentions might make the world a little worse. Her uncle had told her that she should be careful to who she talks to about it. She could only say it to people that she deemed worthy. These people..these group of four people that she was with. They were worthy, in her eyes at least.

But what she sees might be bias because she was already friends with these four. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to say the name...at least.

The girl concluded that she can't run from them, but she can sure say the name of it. She doubts that there were any books about nen in the bookshelves that decorated the room. Even if want to learn about nen, they can't get proper practice here. Not in a small space like this room. The terms she thought about only applied to her however, as she needed a bunch of space with air for meditation. The case may be different with each person, as there were different types of people. 

Silence filled the room as everyone waited for (Y/n) to say a word. A hum comes from the girl as she sunk further back to the cushion. Her grip around her backpack was tighter as she pushed her head back. A loud, obnoxious sigh comes from her as she kept her gaze on the ceiling.

"Fineeee. I'll say the name at the very least but the other info..you guys are on your own." A pout decorated the girl's face as she looked at the four curious boys. They all had different facial expressions but they all had the same emotions. It was either curiosity or excitement. It was obvious on their faces. 

Her hands let go of her backpack. It rested on her lap for a while before the girl had put it down on the floor beside her. (Y/n)'s hands moved to a position where it looked like she was cupping a ball in between the space. It was empty, to the naked eye that is. Air was clear, so it was difficult to see how it moves, unless you could feel it. In the girl's eyes, she sees a ball of air whirling around in between her hands. It might be a weird sight to the others.

Concentrating enough of the air into a small ball, she pulls her hands apart. The sphere now sits on her palm, though no one could see it. A smile decorates her features as she looked at her friends. Everyone was confused to what she was doing but if they learn about nen soon, they could understand what she did. 

"I'm a nen user, and no Killua it's not magic at all, " (Y/n) sent her albino friend a glance, giggling a little, "As you can guess, the thing I use is called nen. I've only told you the name, so I'm not promising that I'm gonna tell you guys more because that's all I'm gonna say." 

The girl swirls the little ball of air in her hand. It danced around like a marble would when it's being moved around. She takes a glance at the orb, bring her palm in front of her. Her smile seemed to grow as she looked at the small object. (Y/n) could have made a bigger one but the fact that she was tired and weak, and injured, it'll take most of her energy to make a ball that's the size of a baseball. She would like to conserve her energy for the remaining hours.

"Here. You guys might not see it but there's a marble sized ball of air here. I compressed the particles together so it feels like a solid, when it's not really." The (H/c) haired girl extended her hand forward more. With her free hand, she picks up the ball and squishes it. 

"You guys can touch it, if you'd like. I swear it's safe. I didn't put anything in it."

Everyone seemed to come closer to her. (Y/n) wore a bright smile before a laugh. She felt like she was a tour guide at a museum and she's showing kids an invention or a gem sample. She doesn't worry about the ball that she has in her fingers. She can see it anyway, even if it seemed transparent to the others. It's more like a specialty of hers. Every nen user has one.

Using a free hand, she grabs Gon's hand first, putting the ball on his palm. 

"You can swirl it around ya know. It's like a little bouncy ball," (Y/n) spoke about her nen as if it was a trophy, which..it really is. It's such an achievement, in her eyes at least, to know how to use nen. She picked it up pretty quick too. It must have been the genes in her that enabled her to be a fast learner.

(E/c) eyes look up at soft auburn orbs, finding amazement and excitement in them. Those feelings made her feel warm on the inside. She was happy that they were astonished about nen too, but sadly she can't go more into it. (Y/n) knew that her friends had potential but she felt like it wasn't the right time for them to fully understand nen. They would have to go through more things before she starts to actually tell them about it. Of course she was all thinking this as if they were to stay together.

Which (Y/n) hoped would happen. There will be a time, however, when they will go their separate ways. 

Only then will she wish that they all meet up again.

"Woah...Killua it really does feel like there's a ball here. (Y/n) how did you do this!" Gon was beaming with light. The smile on his face clearly outshines everyone here. His curiosity was clearly fueled by his astonishment and usual happiness.

"I only said I'm going to say the name. The other info that you wanna know..you can probably get that from someone else," (Y/n) shrugged her shoulders. Her lips slant for a moment but they return to their usual smile. 

The ball was passed around to each person. Each time (Y/n) had to pick it up because no one knew where the ball was positioned in their hand. Everyone seemed to have similar expressions. It was a mix of astonishment and a hint of curiosity. Finally there was, somewhat, closure between the five concerning (Y/n)'s so called magic. There was less tension in the air, but four were interested in learning about nen. At least they would know what it's called, but the general idea of it was unknown to them. 

The five waited for night to arrive patiently. They all had their own things to keep themselves occupied with. There was a tv set in the room that played nothing but some news channels. The other channels were pretty boring but there were some interesting documentaries that played at different hours. At the very least their waiting room was comfortable, but waiting around for the countdown gave each one a subtle feeling of anxiety.

It didn't take long till nighttime came. Dinner wasn't at all that special. The five of them were given meals through the fridge, which surprisingly had a compartment at the back that gave them food. It was a weird place..but then again this whole tower was super weird. It wasn't like any other tower and judging by how there were inmates inside, it was probably a prison too. 

The meal given to the group was bread and...meat. Using a fork (Y/n) poked the soft meat, a frown never leaving her face. It was weird..not eating what her uncle cooked. If she had some ingredients, she could probably cook something better than bread and meat. The girl looked around to find her friends eating this..goop. She shouldn't cower away from it..she'll regret it later if she didn't eat now. She mustered up the motivation to eat this meal. 

In the end, the girl ate a little bit before she retired to bed. Everyone had taken their spots on a couch or cushion. (Y/n) had taken two parts of the couch she took and placed it in a corner. As much as she trusts her friends, she doesn't wanna sleep in the middle of the couch where Gon and Killua were at. Sleep takes her consciousness quickly, snatching it like a thief.

The young woman would later wake up at 2 am in the night, her eyes meeting with the darkness that enveloped the room. Moving the blanket out of the way, she pushes herself to a sit. A yawn leaves her mouth as she rubbed the sleepiness in her eyes. She felt dry, dehydrated. Wanting some water, (Y/n) stood up and wandered in the dark blindly. Her steps were light, soft of course, as to not wake anyone up. 

Wandering around aiming to find the fridge, the girl mumbles words. (Y/n) was clearly still tired, but the need to drink water was much stronger than her need to sleep. Moving around didn't seem to help, and it really didn't help when she felt her leg get caught in something. A soft yelp comes from her mouth as she moved her hands to make air to push herself up with. Luckily she pushed herself up but unfortunately she had woken someone up. 

Stumbling a moment, (Y/n) tries her best to regain her balance. Her eyelids blink rapidly, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness once again. She stands still for a moment to calm herself, laughing softly for a short moment. Using her foot, she feels around, finding that the thing she tripped on was someone's leg. 

And that someone had just woken up.

"Oi oi...why are ya waking me up for?" A familiar voice whined. (Y/n) of course knew who it was. It belonged to a white haired boy that she had grown fond up.

"It's a surprise it's not your snores that woke me up," Killua snickered

Killua shifted his body up to a sit. He rubbed his eyes and yawned as well, letting his sight adjust to the darkness. It didn't take long for his eyes to get used to seeing the dark. The boy was trained in this, but it looks like the person who tripped on his leg wasn't quite so lucky. A frown decorates his face as he looked at the girl, finding that she was blindly staring at a wall instead of him. A smile creeps up on his face, finding her funny, but that disappeared a second later.

"S-Snores?" (Y/n) asked. It didn't take her a while to get a little heated over the topic, "Hey! I don't snore that loud.."

Mumbling words to herself, mostly curses, (Y/n) shakes her head to dismiss the short-lived anger.

"Well I didn't mean to wake you up anyway. I just wanted to get some water from the fridge but I don't have any light. Not even the timer over there is doing me any good," (Y/n) groaned, shaking her head. 

The albino stared up at her, his mind buzzing with thoughts. Killua knew he could go back to sleep now but then again..he probably could help her now so she could go back to sleep too. After a couple of seconds thinking, he decides to stands up and bring her to the fridge. He gets a hold of her wrist and starts leading the lost girl, bringing her to the fridge immediately. 

"Here."

Opening the fridge, he sheds some light to the room. It was dim, for sure, but it was enough for (Y/n)'s eyes to see things. It was better with light like this. A hum comes from her as she smiles at her friend. She sends him a nod before she grabs a bottle of water. The girl drinks half of it in one sitting, putting the bottle back in the fridge.

Finally..she felt good and hydrated. She could finally go back to sleep now.

(E/c) eyes connect with ocean blues for a moment as they exchanged words. 

"Thank you," (Y/n) mutters, "I can probably find my way back to my bed."

"Sure," Killua responded. He closes the fridge door, before walking back. Though (Y/n) may not be aware, Killua was listening to her footsteps earlier. He wasn't even sleeping. He was just laying there with his thoughts buzzing. He only seemed to pretend that he was sleeping so he doesn't seem weird to her. By now though..she should know that he has somewhat trouble sleeping.

Especially in a place he doesn't trust. 

It's fine if he doesn't get enough sleep, as long as he gets some shut eye it's enough for him to refuel. Walking back to his spot beside Gon, his careful eyes watch her wander once more. It was hard keeping himself from laughing as (Y/n) moved around aimlessly in the dark. Eventually the girl did find her way back to her bed and she soon passes out.

After a while of waiting her snores fill the room, and they were quite loud, but not as loud as Leorio's. A hum comes from him as he shakes his head. For now he should get some sleep. It wasn't needed really, seeing as they're staying in the room for a while but..it would be appreciated. 

Another day would go by as usual. The group of five had done their best to do what they think would pass the time faster. Killua had been teaching Gon and (Y/n) how to use his skateboard. It was clear that both of them needed practice, seeing how they both stumbled and tried their best to keep balance, only to stay put and not move around. Kurapika, as usual, was around the corner, reading books on whatever he could find. He was quite unsatisfied with what (Y/n) had told him about nen, but as she said, he would have to get that information by himself. Leorio is seen in his usual spot, watching tv and surfing through the channels.

At this point, it was pretty routine.

Everyone waited for the time to go down, up until it was only 5 minutes left. The group of friends took their time to get ready, putting their shoes on and getting the supplies they needed. (Y/n) took some pills before heading out. It was pills that Leorio said would help tone down the pain of a broken nose. At the very least, it felt like she was healing..and it seemed she had gotten better over the two days of waiting. Luckily Leorio had some nasal strips to help her nose out a little. 

As the final second passes by, everyone in the room sprinted out. . (Y/n) took a look at her watch, finding that they don't even have time to descend down the tower with caution. They need to keep moving. At this point it was all of their strength or they're never going to get out of here.

Crossing through hallways, the bunch were met with another choice. There were stairs leading up and there were ones that led down. (Y/n) takes an anxious look at her watch again, finding that they had less time before. Would they ever make it down in time at this rate? Meeting with a vote, everyone pressed a button. It was a score of 2 to 3, where the stairs leading up was the winning choice. 

Unfortunately this choice didn't help to their case.

"We're back at the same hallway.." (Y/n) muttered, her foot tapping anxiously. Her hands tightly grab her arms, squeezing them. Her feelings bubble in her stomach..it wasn't making her feel well.

"We should have gone with the obvious way down," Killua rolled his eyes and looked at the others around him.

"Shoulda? Weren't you one of the people that voted to go up?!" Leorio was fuming, but it was an understandable feeling. He was feeling heated due to the rush. Time was running out, and it was running fast.

"Hey hey less talk and more moving!" (Y/n) whined before she ran ahead of everyone. Fueled by her anger, pushed by her anxiety, the girl kept moving. The girl didn't wanna sit still anymore. She ran faster than the others. Her want, her _need_ to meet her father was the one that kept pulling her to a spring.

Trial after trial, everyone seemed to get more beat up and dirtier than before. The only trial that seemed to trouble the girl the most was the rolling stone that tried to crush all of them. It reminded her of an old movie she used to watch, but the fact that the ball wasn't a movie prop made it worse for her. 

Panting heavily, (Y/n) wipes some sweat from her forehead. It was the most exercise she's had in a while. It's taken up most of her energy but she can't just stop running now. It was hard to breathe due to her nose's condition, but she's managing. There was more that needs to be done. At least this whole thing wasn't as bad as the first phase, where they really had to run nonstop. 

The group of five face a door, which prompted another vote. This time there were no disagreements, well of course except one person.

"And who the hell pressed the _x_ button?" Leorio huffed, looking at everyone in the room. 

Gon looked the most guilty, sending the older male a peace sign and a short laugh to relief tension. "Sorryy...I pressed it by accident."

The two nodded at each other. Leorio let out a sigh to get some of his anger out. He was..fuming, but it wasn't as bad as before.

Almost everyone was anxious that it was causing silence among them. There's really no need to talk when everyone is moving, running. They all conserved their air to run. Eventually everyone comes to a stop, finding that there's a door. A statue of the upper half of a woman caught (Y/n)'s eyes first, before they drifted off to look at the two doors.

"This looks like the last door we gotta get to," Killua muttered, "Not sure why there's this giant statue though, but I guess it looks nice." 

An option appears before them. A screen under the lady's body read aloud their instructions.

"This is the last fork in your path. Are you ready? Please press _o_ for yes, press _x_ for no." 

In a hurry, the group chooses the obvious answer. Everyone had pressed circle. Finding that everyone was ready, the tv under the statue begins to describe their options for the doors. 

It was a troubling choice for everyone, seeing as there's only two doors. Each had their own terms, but... the trouble is that not everyone might pass this tower phase. The door with the _x_ marked on it was considered the easiest path, but the fact that people had to be left behind made it hard for everyone to choose. Only three people could go to easiest, leaving two other's behind. The door with the circle was the one where everyone could pass through, but it took around 45 hours to get through.

As far as everyone knew, they all had a couple of minutes left to spare. 

It didn't take long for havoc to rise, causing people to attack others. Leorio was the first to grab a weapon that was on the door, and he had attached Kurapika first. (Y/n) walked behind a couple of feet away from the chaos, finding her head buzzing with ideas. Could she possibly sacrifice herself to stop this madness? But what if..this was her only chance to find her father. What if her father can't wait another year for her to find him.

Gulping in, the girl hugs a wall and thinks for a moment. Everything seemed still around her. She had deafened out the other noises, her ears only focusing on the ticks of the timer beside her wristwatch. Her mouth seemed to twitch before she finds herself moving to one side of the room. Right by her old place was an axe, stuck to the wall. It was thrown or, at least what she thinks, was deflected off of another weapon. 

Oh if she didn't move from that position, she would have died. 

There the girl stands in silence as she watches her friends attack each other. The sight..she didn't like it one bit, but she can't go in there and fight her friends. She can't do that. (Y/n) felt like she would be betraying them if she did that, and she doesn't wanna feel like she did that. But she also doesn't wanna see her friends like this either. A troubled frown decorates the young woman's face as she continued to look out for ways to possibly stop their fighting. 

Eventually in the end, their attacks did stop. 

"H-Hey wait! Guys look!" Gon pointed at a spot on the wall. Everyone's eyes all went to that spot on the wall. There, the wall was chipped, and bits of it seemed to have broken off. No one understood what Gon was trying to say with this, as they all looked at him, dumbfounded.

It didn't take a while for another person to realize what the boy was saying. (Y/n) looked at Gon for a moment before looking at the weapons on the wall. In a hurry she takes it and presses the circle button on her timer, causing her to vote for the door with the longest route. A smile replaces the frown she wore earlier. She approached her friends away, getting closer to them rather than cowering away.

"We can break the wall. We can all pass this phase if we go through the circle door and break the wall from then on. There's no rules to that so..no one's gonna get us for that right?" 

(Y/n) glanced at Gon, finding him smiling as bright as the sun once more. The two waited for everyone to press the circle option before they all headed towards the door that supposedly took 45 hours to get through. Using the weapons they were provided with, they all made a hole in the wall to get to the hallway that the other door sealed off. From then on, they all sprinted to where mine carts were. (Y/n) had taken the same cart as Killua and Gon, while Kurapika and Leorio had to share their own cart. 

The ride was bumpy, and it might have tosses her around a little, but it got to where they needed to be before time could run out. Walking out of the room, the other examinees were told of the newest arrivals to the exit. 

"Number 403 and 404 has entered the room," A voice over the speakers spoke. Out of one door, Kurapika and Leorio appeared. Their clothes were dirty, sure, but that doesn't mean that can't be dusted off. 

"Numbers 99, 375, and 405 have entered the room."

Killua, Gon, and (Y/n) have now appeared from the same door that Kurapika and Leorio went through. The girl was slumped over, tired from all the running she did. Small beads of sweat runs down her temples as she continued to drag her feet. Gon stares at his friend, slightly worried, but he knows that she'll probably get to catch her breath soon. Killua didn't bother sparing her a glance, as he already knew what she was like.

The timer on their wrists continued to tick till it hit zero.

"Times up! Number of applicants passing the third phase: 28, including one deceased! All applicants must exit through the door and you will all receive instructions from then on." 

The girl looks around her, trying to find that one person who was..decease. She felt kinda bad that the guy had to push himself, but why should she feel bad when she doesn't even know the person? (Y/n) shrugged her shoulders and continued to drag her feet quietly, taking the time to catch a breath and relieve some stress that continued to pile up on her shoulders.

That was three phases down..she wondered what the next phase would be like.

All the applicants went outside, catching the fresh air that nature provided. (Y/n) took in a deep breath, taking in everything that she could. It gave her some strength to move forward. After slumping for a while, she felt a little energized. The fresh air around her was a factor that supported her re-energized state. In no time, she'll feel much better!

Grabbing on to the straps of her backpack, (Y/n) looked at her friends and smiled. After a while of just staying outdoors, she was felt better than before. The sight made Gon smile as well.

"Finally getting some fresh air huh?" Gon asked, sparking a conversation with her.

(Y/n) nodded her head, looking away at him for a moment. "Yeah...I could breathe in the tower, but the air out here is so much better. I'm so glad to be outside again. I may like the indoors, sure, but...staying in that one room made me want to go out again."

A hum comes from her as she stared at the person who appeared in front of everyone. This man must be the examiner for the third phase. He was quite short..honestly. (Y/n) expected someone taller and bulkier to be running a tower like that, but seeing as how there were a lot of tech in that tower, perhaps this guy was what she _should_ have expected. 

The remaining applicants of the hunter exam listened to the smaller man's words, finding that the next phase would be in a small island called Zevil island. He tells the rest that there are only two more phases left to go before they could get their hunter cards. A short hum leaves (Y/n) as she pulled on the straps of her backpack, taking in the words of the examiner and processing them in her mind. 

"An island huh? That's interesting," (Y/n) thought, "Wonder what we'll be doing there..."

The young woman's question was soon answered by the examiner with glasses spoke of the terms for the next one. The person beside him had pulled out a box for everyone to see. 

"The first step is for you is to draw a number," the examiner spoke. This gained him odd looks from the crowd. Mutters and comments from the crowd filled the air. His smile never faltered, it looked like it grew.

"It's not for lots, no no. It's to decide who to hunt and who will hunt you." 

(Y/n) didn't pay too close attention but the word hunt grabbed her. Her (E/c) eyes widen a little bit. Anxiously she looks at Gon and Killua, finding that they're quite neutral about the terms. She turns her head to glance at Kurapika and Leorio this time. She also finds them neutral too. 

Was she the only one who's slightly worried about this part of the exam? 

Yeah she might have been worried a couple of times before but..being hunted sure didn't sound good. Suppressing her feelings, (Y/n) stood upright and tightened her grip on the straps of her backpack. She tugged, pulling it closer to her.

There were a total of 27 applicants left over, excluding the deceased of course. Each remaining examinee had taken a card from an order which they came out of the tower from. Hisoka was the first one up to get a card, and eventually it came to (Y/n)'s turn. The girl was anxious to get a card. She worries that she might get one of her friend's numbers. She didn't bother looking at it at first as she immediately returned to where her friends were.

As soon as everyone got their card, they took the time to look at it. (Y/n) had taken a good look at the number that she had taken from the box.

Number 227.

She..doesn't recognize the number. (Y/n) thought before that she knew everyone by now..but that didn't look like it now. A hum leaves her as she looked around, trying to find the badge that had the same number as the card she had in her hands. Her eyes spot a curious female in the back of everyone. 

This particular female wore a black poncho. Her dark blue hair was tied up to form two messy buns at the side of her head. She had a frown on her face. She had a pale complexion and one of her white eyes was covered by a bandage. The girl guesses that this woman's other eye was also colored white. As curious as she looked, she had a heavy feeling of dread surrounding her.

(Y/n) continues to study her target until the woman looks at her. Her icy whites glance at her (E/c) eyes, making the girl turn her head to look at her friends. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she shook with fear. Though..that feeling of fear and dread lasted for a split second. A frown displays itself on the girl's (S/c) features as she takes a good look at her card again. Quickly she stashes that number away in her pockets and internally hopes for the best. 

The examiner from the third phase proceeded to speak of the point system. The only way to pass this part of the exam was to get six points in total. The examinee's own badge was three points, their target's was also three points. Other badges that the applicant has gotten is one point. 

The point system made (Y/n) sweat a little bit more. Not that she was scared of fighting other people, as she believed she has the advantage of knowing nen..but the target that she picked herself.

That woman..seemed to be a problem to her.

Judging by first glance, the woman also knew how to use nen. But that was just at first glance. 

The applicants left over in the hunter exam were escorted to a boat just off the coast of the land. (Y/n)'s head turns to look at the giant tower they were at. Now..she was doubting whether she really likes this new phase or not. 

Sure sure she gets to stay out and be with nature but the fact that she's being hunted made her feel weird. The girl was hoping that no one better than her had gotten her number..she was hoping..none of her friends had gotten her.

The atmosphere on the boat was dense, thick, and heavy. There was some sort of tour guide on board telling everyone what Zevil Island is and what wonders that small island has. It didn't really help out with the dreadful and gloomy feeling coming from the examinees. Even the tour guide herself was getting tired of trying to cheer everyone up to that point where she just left them to do their own business. 

Everyone on the boat had already stashed their badges away to avoid anyone looking at them anymore. Paranoia contributed to the heavy and dense atmosphere in the boat. Each applicant had avoided looking at anyone to conceal their motives. Almost no one knows who got who in the boat.

The group was separated to their own parts of the boat. (Y/n) could be seen leaning against the edge of the boat, her eyes looking at the passing sea. She stood beside Gon of course, who was sitting down beside her feet. Kurapika and Leorio were together somewhere, perhaps chatting about things, and Killua was..somewhere. It didn't take long for that one to appear again. 

The albino approached his friends with a smile on his face. He was quite excited for this phase, though he didn't really show it.

"Hey..." Killua called out to his friends, showing off the smile he had planted on his features. He took a seat beside Gon, leaning against the hull's walls. "Sooo..what number did you guys get?"

"Well that's a secret Killua," Gon answered the other boys question. A hum comes from him as he looked up at the girl that was still looking out at the sea, "You can ask (Y/n) though."

"Eh...I'll only say it if you guys say it too," the young woman chimes into the conversation. Her (E/c) eyes look at auburn and dark blue orbs, alternating between them. Tired of staring at the ocean, she comes down to a sit, finding a comfortable spot beside Gon. "What about you Killua? What number did you get?"

"Well it's not you guys, I can tell you that much," Killua spoke.

"Me neither," Gon replied.

"Good. I didn't draw any of you guys either," (Y/n) hummed.

"Show on the count of three?" Killua suggested, his hand stuffed in his pocket. Gon and (Y/n) looked at each other before nodding their heads. They both got their cards too. 

Moving closer to form a circle, on the count of three each teen pulled out their target's card. From Gon's hand, the number 44 appeared. From Killua, number 199 was displayed on his card. Lastly, (Y/n) had shown her card, revealing that her target was number 227.

"Oh.." Killua sighed, finding the sight kinda troubling, "Well you guys got bad luck huh?"

"Y-yeahh.." both (Y/n) and Gon sighed. 

"I don't even know who this person is.." (Y/n) slumped forward, covering her face with her hands as she sulked around.

"227? Well i mean I doubt anyone could see her. She's been hiding around the shadows for a long time..it's a surprise you even got her number," Killua says, "But I'm sure she's not that bad as the one Gon got. He's got 44."

"I guess..but still..I don't even know who this person is or what they do. I know for certain that they're a nen user though. I can..just feel it."

"Ah..Killua..what about your number? I don't really recognize this number." Gon looks at the card that he had gotten from Killua before he shifts his gaze to look at the crowd. No one has their numbers attached on their chest now. They probably all did what was rational and put it away for their own safety. A hum comes from the black haired boy as he looked at his albino friend.

"I didn't think that remembering numbers and faces was a good thing. All the wusses put their badges away to conceal their numbers sooo...I have no clue to who it is," Killua shrugged his shoulders as he looked at his friends. He notices that (Y/n) had a worried smile on her face. He later finds that she didn't have a badge on her chest.

"Well...not calling you a wuss or anything, (Y/n)," Killua muttered. The boy's dark blue eyes shift to look at Gon, who seemed to sweat for some reason. His hands were tightly holding on to each other. His arms were shaking.

"You scared..or somethin? Or maybe you're a little excited huh?" Killua asked, tilting his head to the side. This question caught the attention of both (Y/n) and Gon. 

"You seem..a little tense Gon." (Y/n) spoke as well, her motions imitated Killua.

"I can't describe it. Maybe it's a little bit of both..maybe it's not," Gon responded to his friends, "I know for sure that on a one on one duel..he's gonna beat me easily but if I can just manage to get his badge..I think I could be fine. I can..try to do it, at least."

"Sure.. I guess you can say that." Killua shrugged his shoulders and sighed. Grabbing his skateboard, he stood up. He spared his friends a glance before he waved goodbye. 

"Hope you two make it. I'll see you guys by then."

Gon and (Y/n) watched their friend walk away from them. He had gone to a corner, where the both of them could no longer look at him. A soft sigh leaves the girl's mouth as she looked at her friend, a smile soon graces her (S/c) features.

"I believe in you Gon. I know you can do it! You have that little something in you. I know you're not like any other teen I've seen in my life." (Y/n) tried her best to give inspiring words to her friend, thinking that it would work. She too was a little worried about her case however, seeing as her target was someone who looked experienced in the nen field.

"Thanks (Y/n)," Gon muttered, sending a smile back at her too.

A hum comes from her as she stood up again. She goes back to looking at the sea, finding that their destination was close. The only thing that (Y/n) could do at the moment was to sit back and relax, before they reach the island. The girl knew she should prepare herself..she knew that she had to make a game plan for this..but she doesn't wanna. The young woman lets herself admire the sea for a short while, pushing away the thoughts of fighting anyone.

The girl wanted peace...

for now.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I didn't wanna do it- I didn't have a choice! "

Calm waves lightly rock the wooden boat back and forth. A soft breeze sweeps by, making the heads of the trees dance with life. It could have been a relaxing scene if there wasn’t a heavy feeling of dread surrounding the boat. All the remaining examinees on the boat were quite silent as they all waited their turn to be called out. Each one had a frown on their face, each one had thoughts buzzing in their minds.   
Of course the ideas differ from each person.

Gon thought heavily about getting Hisoka’s badge. Killua’s mind was buzzing on ideas on what to do when he’s already gotten his target’s badge. Leorio had his brain set on trying to get to his target too..well that is if he doesn’t lose sight of her. Kurapika had thought about what he would do in the woods for a while, mostly focused on survival. (Y/n)’s seemed to work the most, as scenarios seem to pile in her head in a heaping stack.

The girl thought heavily about her situation. Different scenes played in her head, each of them were possible deaths or possible moments where she gets hurt. Of course she had to consider the worst, which is why she was thinking about it, but (Y/n) knew that she shouldn’t. 

“Keep an optimistic mindset”, her father used to tell her, “Make sure to think of positives!”

But how could she possibly do that when the chances of her dying here by the hands of a bunch of adults are high?!

(Y/n) takes in a deep breath as she realized that her head is probably too occupied on the idea of death. She was overthinking things again.

In an exam like this, her uncle told her to keep a simple mindset.

“Don't overthink things, child, you know it’s bad.” Those were his very words, and it echoed in her mind.

The words were easy to understand, but how come they can’t stay in her mind.

Shaking her head, (Y/n) looks at her watch to check the time. Shifting her attention to something else usually helps her out whenever she’s stuck overthinking something. In the background she could hear numbers being called out. Soon..she’ll have to go out there and she would have to fend for herself. Thoughts about fighting appeared in her mind once more, this time the scenarios weren’t as horrible.

This was a challenge to see who can fight well..right? If that was the case, then she could probably get by just fine. (Y/n) was somewhat confident in her fighting skills. She just needs to warm up before she actually gets ready for her fight. In order for her to have that confidence, she needs to get fiery, get mad, or at least have something motivating her to fight. Her match before, the one with the prisoner, that one was fueled by her desire to make her friend’s proud. 

But what will fuel her confidence for this round.

The topic her thoughts were focused on had changed as that question appeared in her mind. Tilting her head to the side, (Y/n) had ideas spring in her head. One of them was the most relevant to her.

The hunter license. She had to get through this phase to get that hunter license. 

It was the key to everything of course. With that license she hoped to find her father, with that license she could finally prove to her stupid auntie that she can actually find her dad and she _can_ save him! The license has many benefits and she wished to help her uncle who took care of her.

As pleasant ideas and hopeful thoughts appeared in her mind, (Y/n) began to bear a smile. It was a smile that sure did show that she was feeling happier than her old troubled self earlier. Her eyes find themselves staring at the forest in front of her. A small hint of fear nestled in her chest as the thought of immediately getting attacked appeared in her mind. The girl shakes her head, trying to push away the dreadful ideas of her brain to the very back wall. 

There was no need for her to ruin her own good vibes. (Y/n) knows that she has to keep her head in the game, she knows that she has to finish strong so she could get her license!

“Number 375, you may leave the boat now,” the female tour guide spoke, calling over the female that’s left over in a boat filled with men. 

The girl’s shift her gaze from staring at the scenery to looking at the woman. Nodding her head, (Y/n) spares her friends a glance. She sent the boys the usual smile she had on her face before a wave.

“I’ll see you guys on the other side,” (Y/n) beamed at her friends before she started to walk off. Her hands place themselves on the straps of her backpack as she gets ready for a sprint. The girl knew that she had some time to get away and find a safe place to rest. Rest for a little while before she begins her search to find her target that is. 

Her mind was already buzzing with ideas on how to get her target’s badge, but what was holding her back mostly was how intimidating that woman was. The heavy, dreadful aura that she gave off scared the girl a little. 

Oh but she was no wuss! 

Just to some..things..yeah…

But fighting an adult shouldn’t be a big problem! She’s fought plenty before! 

And by plenty, she meant a lot of sparring matches with her uncle. Of course the fight with the prisoner counts too!

A familiar feeling nestled within her chest, cuddling along with the fear that was currently living there. A hint of doubt made the girl unsure of her skills. (Y/n) may have fought that one buff prisoner in the third phase, but he didn’t have any nen. Her target right now, however, made it obvious that she knew nen. She’s never really fought a nen user before, other than her uncle of course. 

Familiar feelings of uneasiness accelerated the girl’s speed during her run. Eventually after running for a couple of minutes she comes to a stop. (Y/n) leans against a tree as she lightly pants. The soft tickle of her hair strands prompted her to push them back. Her hand returns to her side afterwards, falling limp. (E/c) eyes look around to survey the area.

Quiet. This forest was quiet.

That..was a good thing, is it not?

(Y/n) shook her head as she looked forward, finding more trees in her view. The girl decided that she had done enough running. She was far enough from where people were getting released to so it’s better to walk from now on. She doesn’t wanna feel exhausted now, not when she’s in a high tension area where she has to use some of her energy to defend herself.

A frown displays itself on the girl's face as she continues to explore the woodlands, finding a bunch of trees everywhere. What would be nice right now is a river. Now, (Y/n) wasn’t a survivalist fanatic but she watched a couple of Panther Oven’s survival videos. Some of the tips are nice, but the one thing that she probably won't do is drink her own..fluids. 

The girl visibly shudders at the thought of drinking that..thing. Luckily, she had water. The thing that she needs right now is a river so that she could have some fresh water source. 

(Y/n)’s mind drifts off into thoughts and memories that appeared in that small space. Old TV clips played in her head as she absentmindedly walked around the forest. Well what’s a girl gotta do to entertain herself while wandering around giant woodlands, looking for her target. 

Having her head in the clouds was a bad idea, and (Y/n) knew that of course. Sometimes she can’t help but get lost in her mind though. It usually does happen whenever there’s nothing else to do. Humming to a soft tune from memory, the young woman continues her stride along the woodlands. 

Her shoes print the dirt floors of the forest, making impressive imprints. The soil was quiet damp, but it wasn’t wet enough to make it mud. The smell of woodlands was, well, woody, like the wood smell in a hardware store. Birds chirped in the background as they flew over the leafy roof. Shadows shield the woman from getting sunlight, making her walk quite a pleasant and cool stroll.

Snapping away from her thoughts, (Y/n) finds herself still walking. She comes to a stop, tugging on the straps of her backpack as she looked around once more. The trees looked the same, but it felt like she had been walking for hours now. A hum comes from her as she looked at the floor, finding that her shoes made footprints along the way. She looks back to find that she had made progress on her stroll, but her eyes could only see so far. It would be a waste of steps if she goes back, but the girl wanted to make sure that she actually moved. 

(Y/n) didn’t wanna think that it was someone’s nen that made her so absentminded that she dissociated from reality. There was a possibility that it was, but the chances seem unlikely. 

That is unless her target has already spotted her and she’s being hunted down right now. 

Thoughts buzzed in her mind as her body went on high alert mode. The grip on her backpack straps were tighter than before. Her eyes eagerly moved around, high on short-lived adrenaline. A sigh comes from (Y/n) as she tried to calm herself, knowing that a panicked state wouldn’t help her case. Shaking her head she retraces her steps and investigates. 

The woodland’s silence covers the area. The only thing that disrupted its peace were the soft crunch of dirt under (Y/n)’s shoes and the occasional bird chirps coming from the sky. Her hands tightly clasp the straps of her backpack as she observes her footprints.

She had been traveling for quite some time now. Maybe she was just paranoid. 

The tension on the young woman’s shoulders wash away as she shrugs. A laugh comes from her mouth, finding that she was..pathetic for being scared. 

Pathetic like before.

(Y/n) pushes her thoughts away before they could get worse. The last thing that she wants to think about at the moment is the horrible voice of her aunt, taunting her. The girl stands up straight and stretches her limbs. She relaxes, exhaling some air through her nostrils. She stands still for a moment before she turns around to resume her walk.

The first thing her eyes spot were knives flying towards her at an incredible speed. (Y/n)’s panic reawakens as she moved to the side to avoid the throwing knives. Frantically her gazes go everywhere, trying their best to spot the problem. Her hands were now free from holding her backpack. They mustered enough air to make two halves of an invisible shield. She takes on a defensive stance as she searches for the perpetrator. 

Finally, after looking around for a couple of seconds, she spots a black-clothed figure running towards her. The man had three knives on standby, ready to be thrown. (Y/n) bites her lips as she grows somewhat frustrated, yet also somewhat relieved. At least she spotted her assaulter and he was foolishly running towards her. It wasn't _her_ target at the very least. The thing that's bothering her is that she doesn’t know how to fight someone who’s ranged. 

Shooting solidified air pellets won't work, as it would only push them away from her. Her nen isn’t concentrated enough to penetrate skin, let alone clothed skin. 

(Y/n) cursed to herself as she ran towards the masked man, jumping over him to avoid his knives. Her (E/c) eyes look at the man who tried attacking her, finding that he easily spotted her. He seemed to scoff at her as he pulled out more knives. (Y/n) stood still, waiting for the man to come towards her. An idea had appeared in her mind but she wasn’t sure if it would work. 

Knives were thrown once again, as the girl had expected. In a hurry, she had put the two halves of her invisible shield together and watched the movement of the weapons. (E/c) eyes widen to see that the plan she had in her mind did work. The knives were stuck in the shield, looking as if they’re floating. She had lessened the concentration, making the particles loose. It felt like she was playing with jelly.

A hum comes from (Y/n) as she looked at her situation. She had the upper advantage. Now she has weapons in her possession.

"This shit is so cool!!" (Y/n) squealed in her mind, growing giddy. In her mind she had a small celebration, celebrating that her plan did work. She can't keep herself up there, she has to fight someone. 

A small smile crawls on her face as she disengages her shield, grabbing the knives she had caught. Curious eyes look to the man, who seemed to stand still for a moment, mostly to marvel at the situation.

Yes, to the normal eye, it would seem that she had caught the knives with nothing, but in hers it was completely different. Hell, even nen users wouldn’t be able to see her nen since it was so transparent. The only way was to use gyo on the eyes to see what it was like. The man must have been shocked to see that (Y/n) had caught them in mid-air. 

The black clothed figure took a stance again and pulled out another three knives from his pockets. (Y/n) sighs, a frown now decorating her face. The guy pulling out knives out of his pocket was like seeing a magician pull out a bunny from a top hat. At first glance, the man’s seemingly never ending supply of knives made him look like a nen user, but due to the look on his face (Y/n) concluded that he wasn’t.

“You don’t have to do this. You can just try next year,” (Y/n) called out to him, holding the three knives in her hands. Her body moved to a more defensive pose again as she stood her ground. The girl was getting bitter..she doesn’t want this fight to end the way she thinks it will.

He should just back down now, for the better.

Sure this fight was a little fun and experimental for her, but (Y/n) knows when to quit. She’ll only push through if she sees a purpose to fight. If she finds that this match is going to end bad then she wants this to end, and now would be really good.

“Why should I try next year when I can just finish you off and get it this year.” The masked man’s voice filled the silence. His tone was cocky, confident. 

That wasn’t the response that she wanted to hear. Her heart races a little, as she realizes that this man didn’t want to back down. He was stopping at nothing to get what he wanted. Of course that means (Y/n) actually has to fight back now. She wants to at least knock him unconscious and steal his tag, but getting to him would be quite difficult. 

Why?

He has ranged weapons. 

The only thing that (Y/n) has are small air pellets that push people back, which wasn’t great for range.

(Y/n) couldn’t help but frown and sigh. The girl tries to calm herself, preparing herself mentally for the inevitable. If she’s left with no choice then..she can and will fight. She knows there’s a second choice to this but if she must, then she has to. This was all for self defense right? She didn’t initiate this fight..he did.

It was his fault- no no- it’s not hers at all.

Still holding the knives in her hands, she keeps her relaxed pose, letting the man run towards her. Careful (E/c) eyes watch her opponent as he dashes towards her, but surprisingly it wasn’t straight at her. In a flash, the black clothed man took a sharp turn left and he was immediately out of her sight. (Y/n)’s eyes slightly widened as she felt a presence behind her. She immediately turns around, and in a short lived state of panic, she throws the knives at her attacker. Her body moves to the side to avoid the expected knives thrown at her. 

One.

Two.

Three knives hit the man, surprisingly. 

Three.

Two.

One.

He’s down on the floor, bleeding. 

(Y/n) watches the black clothed man fall down on the floor. Her heart beat races as she cautiously approaches the masked man. A shield forms on her hands once more, making sure she was ready just in case he springs up and attacks her. Her legs were shaking for a moment and her breathing was ragged. Thoughts flooded her mind, the horrible voice of her aunt appeared in her mind.

“Murderer,” it muttered to her, “You killed him.” The voice then proceeded to taunt repeatedly, cackling on some occasions.

(Y/n) hurriedly shakes her head, trying to drive that voice away from her mind. The thought of hearing her made her feel horrible, the thought of seeing her made her almost vomit. 

The girl’s stomach twists and turns as her eyes scans his body, trying to find possible hiding spots for the badge. (Y/n) just hopes that she didn’t accidentally kill a man. This whole thing is justifiable right?

Right?!

It was self defense! She didn’t kill him! As far as she knew, he was still conscious! He just has to be! The knives didn’t hit anything major, or that’s what it looked like. There was one that was in his stomach, the other was on a shoulder, and one landed near his hip. Okay maybe there might be something wounded there. She didn't know which places were fatal! She wasn't going to be a health major anyway, why should she care?!

The girl looms over the body, her heart beat drumming faster than a metal band’s drummer. The man seemed to be still..he seemed to be in pain. The boom of her heart was all that she heard. Her eyes observed the fallen man, finding that he was bleeding at a fast rate. He was still breathing, but he wasn't moving at all. 

She didn't kill him. (Y/n) refused to believe that she did. He was just immobilized! 

Oh but what will she do? She knows she can't help but at the same time she feels responsible for this mess. And she is! 

But is she really responsible for this mess?

Her thoughts flood her mind, making it impossible for her to think straight. What side should she believe? The one where it's telling her that she's guilty or the one that's telling her that this act was valid. (Y/n)'s heart was beating loud and fast, it felt as if she were to pass out, but she won't and she doesn't think that she will. 

In a hurry, the girl knelt down and rummaged through the man's clothes, feeling everywhere in his body to find his tag. Feeling a familiar circular object, she stuffs her hand in the man's clothes and grabbed the pin. She felt someone grab her before she could stand up. Droplets decorate the edges of her eyes as she tried to yank herself away from the man.

"You can't leave w-with my tag," the man muttered, coughing. His grip on her was strong, but (Y/n) believes she could yank herself out of there. 

"Y-Yes I can! A-and I will!" (Y/n) gasped, pulling on her arm. She stands up, trying to pry the masked man off of her. His grip was loosening as it looked like he was losing blood quickly. Maybe the places that the knives landed on were indeed major. What if..she killed him? What if this man had a family to feed and she killed their only source of income?

Oh God..Oh no.

With a final pull, (Y/n) was finally out of his opponent's grasp. A gasp comes from her as she falls on her bottom. Just a couple of meters away was the man, laying and dying. The droplets that hung on to the edges of her eyes spilled as her gaze stuck to the man. Thoughts piled up, thoughts started to bury her with grief and guilt. 

"I'm so sorry-" the girl softly muttered. Tears ran down her face as she kept her gaze on the fallen man. She was vulnerable, she can't have herself like that during a high stakes phase. Wiping away the evidence of her heavy guilt, she begins to think again.

"I need to get out of here-" (Y/n) muttered to herself. The girl stood up, finding it hard to stand still. Her legs felt like jelly, finding it hard to stomach the guilt. She was shaken, hurt but mostly on the inside. There were no major damages done to her. Taking in a deep breath, (Y/n) takes off for a sprint, running as far away from the scene as possible. 

Running had turned into a burdensome task as she continued to cry. It felt like she was dragging her legs instead. No one told her that she would have to kill someone this early, no one told her that she had to prepare for moments like this. All she thought was that she was going to fight a bunch of people to win the license, no one told her that someone had to die! 

(Y/n) fell to the soft dirt she stood on. She leaned against a tree as she wept silently, letting the panic run out of her. The guilt nestled close to her heart, making it difficult for her to stomach everything that she did. Was she a criminal for killing someone? Could she really have a choice to stop all of that? Killing people..was that really what hunters do? They weren't heartless people, hunter's have some heart too! Her father had a heart! But how come killing someone was part of this exam?!

Maybe her mind wasn't ready for this test. (Y/n) was positive that she was, physically, but seeing that she had to kill to avoid her own death was too much for her head.

There was an explanation for what she did, but she couldn't really see herself as innocent. This was self defense, not some unlawful killing. The man had planned to hurt her to get her tag.

The people here were greedy, they would kill to get what they want. The young woman wasn't too sure if she was cut out for this. 

After minutes of sobbing quietly to herself, (Y/n) rubbed her eyes, wiping the rest of her tears. She sat there, against the tree, motionless. Her breathing was ragged from crying and her hands were shaking. Maybe she should rest for a while, get her mind together. She needed to think straight to get her target, she needed to think about what to do after she did that. 

(Y/n) pushed herself up from the tree and shoved the tag in her pockets. Her tag was tucked away, safe alongside the photo of her father. The girl noticed that her body felt heavy, like she can't move. 

That must be the feeling of guilt that's pushing her down. 

She can't have that pull her down. (Y/n) was already shaken by the fact that she had to kill someone in order to progress and save herself. The girl gulps in her feelings to try and remove them from her mind. At the very least she wanted them to go away for a moment so that she could think straight. Peace was all she wants, and there was peace, but that was on the outside. In her mind, everything was buzzing with questions, thoughts, and ideas that were formed by the event.

No. She can't go on like this. She'll have to get used to it.

(Y/n) shakes her head, trying to clear her mind. Slowly, she trudges forward. The young woman has to keep looking for her target. She has to forget this ever happened. She needs to keep moving, she needs to go now.

Her trudges eventually turn into normal steps as she began to quicken her pace. She was now walking normally, gloomily, but at least she was getting places faster. Her mind still thought about what had happened earlier. She couldn't stop thinking about the man's well being. She couldn't stop thinking about the things that she could have done, the alternatives that she could have picked instead. 

(Y/n) knew that she wasn't given a choice, but she can't help it.

That was a living person that she hit, it wasn't an animal, nor was it a monster. It was a human.

Maybe she should start getting used to the idea of murder, seeing as it's probably the norm with hunters. Getting used to killing other people...it might take a while to get used to the idea of killing people. Anyone she deems innocent dying by her hands..the idea hurts her. If she were told to kill someone that's a total scum..perhaps she wouldn't hesitate. 

Taking in a deep breath, (Y/n) tries her best to think about something else, something that doesn't necessarily damage her mind as much. 

"Happy thoughts, (Y/n), happy thoughts.." the girl murmured, "Think of happy thoughts."

It seemed impossible to do right now, as all she could think about is that memory. The voice of her aunt appeared in hear head once more. She had to push her away. No no she's not sick, she just has the habit of thinking of that woman, that piece of shit woman that she hated so much.

But she couldn't get rid of her.

How could she when that old woman has already made an imprint on her mind.

Hanging her head low, (Y/n) walks slower than usual. Her eyes look to her wrist watch, finding that time was running slower as well. Perhaps it was like that when she's bored, perhaps its like that when she's dealing with heavy stress. Feeling another break, (Y/n) shook her head. She wanted to tough it out, knowing that she can't go around moping over her first kill.

The girl was aware that being by herself wasn't a good thing, especially when she needed someone to talk to. She needed someone to talk to about her feelings, hoping that they would understand. Her uncle would...her papa would. 

An idea appears in her mind as she pushes all thoughts away, forcefully pushing them to the back of her mind. Her hands scramble to get the backpack off of her. She was on the ground within a second, moving other miscellaneous items to the ground or to the side of her bag. Just beside her badge was that special photo she kept on her. It was a fond memory of hers, which is why she kept it.

A small, sorrowful smile decorates the young woman's face as she placed the photo to her chest, trying her best to hug it in some way. (Y/n) was aware that she was vulnerable, she was aware that she might look like a complete and utter fool to some, but this was a way to cope with her situation.

The mere sight of her papa comforted her. It made her hurt more when she realized that her papa wasn't _actually_ here with her.

Hanging her head low once again, (Y/n) dwells in silence, letting soft crickets cry their call. Night was coming soon, and it would be best to keep moving and find a river. At least there, there's more of a getaway and it's easier not to get lost. 

After a couples of minutes of just sitting there, (Y/n) swallows in her horrible emotions and braves through.

Or at the very least she tries to.

Standing up slowly and taking in a deep breath, the girl wipes her tears away, lightly laughing at herself. 

God what a coward she was...god what a wuss.

(Y/n) urged herself forward, trying to get forget the fact that she murdered someone. Her attack may have been forgivable but how can someone just...forget how it felt to kill someone. She wasn't getting any adrenaline rush from it. All she got was grief and regret, but that will wash away soon.

Right?

The sudden change of her thoughts were urged by her mixed emotions. Even (Y/n) was unsure what to really feel about the situation. Be happy that it all ended, or feel guilty for taking another person's life. The girl's lips pursed into a frown as she kept wandering the forest, hoping to find the relieving sound of rushing water. She of course was probably in no rush, but it would be best if she found that river. It hadn't reached night yet, but soon it will.

A thought appeared in her mind, keeping her occupied from her past thoughts. A friend of hers popped up in her mind.

Killua. Him. 

He said he came from a family of assassins, so..therefore he was conditioned into maintaining a life fit for his future profession. (Y/n) wanted to ask him how he managed to get rid of the feeling of guilt after his first kill.

Well..if he ever felt guilt at all.

Now rushing forward with that train of thought, maybe Killua didn't feel guilty like she did when she injured the man and left him for dead. He was a weird fella honestly..but should she really be surprised about that? No. Not really. Why should she? She's met plenty of weird people before. They were all different kinds of it too, but Killua is the most bizarre to her. 

An assassin. A runaway assassin. He got tired of his old life so he ran away. 

It reminded her of herself..except the assassin part. 

Is that why she felt a little close to him?

And Gon... he was a weird one too. He was looking for his dad, or at least that's his goal in life right. It was similar to hers, as she too was trying to find her dad.

Now that her thoughts were more occupied on thinking about her friends, (Y/n) found it easier to walk again. No longer trudging along the straight path she took, her walk to find a river didn't take that long. 

The warm light of the sun quickly disappears as night steals the remaining light. Stars started to dot the lovely night sky. The soft glow of the bashful moon started to replace its more confident sister's spotlight. Within what seems like minutes, the day had turned into night. The birds chirps were overpowered by the loud calls of the crickets. (Y/n) found the night to be quite calming, as she liked staying up.

In a setting like this however, the night might as well be the most dangerous part of the whole day. 

It's easy to get spotted by people who can see well in the dark. The lack of a bright light shining down on them made it easier for thieves to steal other people's badges when they aren't looking. Despite the troubling thoughts that make it difficult to think, (Y/n) makes sure that she keeps her guard up to prevent an unexpected attack. 

The girl didn't find the night worrisome at all. She found comfort hearing the cries of crickets and cicadas, as she tied those two things to a familiar memory.

The soft memory of staying up late at night at her uncle's house doing whatever she pleases to do.

It eased her up a little bit, taking away the thought that had been troubling her for the past few hours. The shock seemed to be going away. For now that is.

Despite how difficult it is to see in the darkness, the glow of the moon guided her way. Her path was walking upstream in the hopes of finding her target. If she wasn't able to find that woman then..she might have to hunt more tags to snatch. Sighing softly to herself, (Y/n) continues to drag her feet along the riverside, letting the noise of water calm her senses. She can't trouble herself with what happened hours ago.

She needs to move on. Get used to it. Eventually if she repeats it in her head, the thought of killing someone would seem familiar, even if originally it was not. (Y/n) knows she has to accept that fact that this is life or death.

Wandering around at night has helped her. The soft crunch of dirt under her shoes, the gentle swish noises coming from the water beside her, the chirps of cicadas...it all felt good to her. She felt safe for once. (Y/n) felt relieved that she survived the first day fine, except for the breakdowns here and there. The thought of the man was erased from her mind, for the moment, and all she thought about was her father. A smile graced her face as she thinks about the old man more.

(Y/n) was doing it all for him. She has to or else she won't be able to see him again.

The smell of smoke caught her attention, finding a soft glow from far away. A person? Maybe someone is camping there. Was it someone familiar? A complete stranger? The only way to find out is to check that area. The young woman pulled on the straps of her backpack as she walked a little faster than usual. The crunch on her dirt was louder this time, making it obvious that she was coming. Of course she was still cautious but maybe she was too excited to see someone alive. 

Her small stride turns into a run, getting closer and closer to the fire that was just a few meters ahead of her. (Y/n) slows her speed as soon as she gets close enough to the place. She tried her best to walk a little slower to avoid detection, making sure that she doesn't alert anyone. Approaching a bush that was close by, the girl decides to scope out the area to see who was there. Her (E/c) eyes widen to find a familiar green clothed male. 

Coming out of the shadows of the lush greens, (Y/n) appeared in front of Gon with a smile on her face. She was so relieved to find him in a troubling place like this! She ran up for a hug, which surprisingly Gon returned back. The boy didn't even get a chance to greet his friend. Her sudden jolt towards him was quite unexpected. He figured that she would at least say _hi_ before having a hug, but he didn't question it. 

The two stood still for the time being with Gon shyly wrapping his arms around her. He softly patted her back, trying to comfort the girl. He didn't really know what else to do in a situation like this, but he figured that what he's doing right now seems the best. The area around them grew quiet as they kept themselves in one place. The soft hum and chirps of cicadas made up for the lack of noise, but those were a little softer now. Eventually Gon could hear someone crying. He looked down to find (Y/n) trembling. In a short state of panic, his eyes widened and he patted her back more.

"H-Hey- Did something happen? What's wrong?" Gon's words rushed out of his mouth in a hurry to comfort his friend. Now this was _really_ worrying. Why was she crying? He needed answers, but he can't pry her for answers! It didn't seem right. 

The black haired boy let his friend cry on his chest a little more, letting her pull away whenever she wants to. A smile graces his face as he looked at her, finding puffy red eyes. It looks like she's been crying for quite some time now. Gon takes a seat on the dirt, getting himself closer to the fire. He lets his friend sit beside him, if she to wanted of course. (Y/n) sat beside him though the distance between them was sort of big. The girl kept her eyes on the fire as she wiped away the tears that suddenly came from her eyes.

Silence once again falls on the two teenagers as they all stared at the soft, warm glow of the fire. The fact that she had to kill someone appeared in her mind once more, which prompted her to cry and be vulnerable. She safe enough to cry and let out the remainder of her emotions. She was happy to find Gon at a time like this. (Y/n) pulls on the remaining fabric of her sleeves, trying to hug herself as she pushed the thoughts away from her mind.

"I..." (Y/n) muttered out, taking in a deep breath. Her hands wiped the remaining tears of her short-lived sob, her gaze never leaving the fire. "I had to-...kill someone."

"Kill someone?" Gon asked. The male tilted his head to the side, intrigued to find out what happened before they met.

"I didn't-" the girl stuttered, "I didn't want to Gon- I didn't wanna have to do it. I'm not that kind of person-"

"You had to so it's okay. If you hadn't killed that person, you probably wouldn't have been here to see me!" Gon grinned, though it seemed like now wasn't the best time to do so. 

"But still, Gon...there could have been a better way to avoid that."

"What if there was no other way around it, (Y/n)? You know you were just defending yourself, there might have been no other way around it."

(Y/n) turned her head to look at her friend. A smile was still on his face, even if the topic was a little serious. He's a bright one, maybe a little too bright, but the warmness of his smile made things feel better. Still, it didn't change the fact that she killed someone, even if it wasn't out of cold blood.

"I need some time to think about it," (Y/n) muttered. The girl leans back on the dirt floor, not caring if her shirt was going to get stained. Her backpack supported her as it acted like a cushion. Her eyes stared at the twinkling stars above. 

"Gon..." the girl softly called out to her friend, though her eyes never left the sight of the void above her, "Can I stay with you for the time being?"

"Of course you can, but you gotta be careful. We only have a week in this island to get the tags." 

"I know that," (Y/n) sighed, "I'm probably gonna be here for a day or two before I set off again."

"Sorry I can't help you, (Y/n). I got my own problem too but I can give you some emotional support if you need it!" Gon grinned at his friend, "Or at least I'll try to."

(Y/n) look at her friend, copying his facial expression. Ah..support. That..was what she needed the most right now.

"Thank you, Gon."

"You're welcome, (Y/n)! I'll try my best to help out."

A short laugh comes from the young woman as she pushed herself up to a sit. She dusts her clothes to get rid of any dirt that decorated her shirt. (Y/n) looks at her friend again, finding that he's holding a fish on a stick for her.

"Did you eat yet?"

"Nope.."

"Well you arrived just in time! The first were too hot to eat earlier so I let them cool off. I was gonna eat the other one but since you're here, I'll let you have this one!"

(Y/n) blinked, finding the sight surprising. Gon does have a fishing pole after all, so of course fish was going to be his dinner. Shaking her head, she grabs the stick, finding it still warm. Her smile seemed to grow at the thought of having a nice dinner for the night.

"Thanks again, Gon."

"No problemo!"

The two teens spent the rest of their night chatting, mostly talking about other things to help (Y/n) avoid thinking about the haunting memory. Eventually the thought was pushed far enough that it was completely erased from her mind. The cicadas harmonized with their laughs as it too disappeared into the night.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I look forward to seeing you again. " 

It was now the third day of the week. There was a total of 4 days left, which was quite a stretch of time. It wasn't enough for (Y/n) to find the target that she had, however. She might even need a couple of weeks to actually find this woman, since she was supposedly so hard to find. Killua even said so himself that the woman hides in the shadows, and frankly (Y/n) was not really good with scavenger hunts. Sure they may be fun but since there's a time limit, maybe things aren't so forgiving. 

The girl packs her things before she heads off to journey in the forest, leaving her friend behind. A smile comes from her as she looks at the number of badges that she has so far. She has two, one from the man she had killed, and the other was her own badge.

Ah..the man.

Talking to someone about it helped her a bunch. The event was now a mere memory. It no longer bothered her, but the guilt was still there, somewhere. She can't forget about it though, but now she's fully prepared to face it.

At least in the later times she defends herself, deaths of those who try to fight her are probably not going to hurt her as much.

A hum comes from (Y/n) as she puts on her backpack, the same old smile was planted on her face. Her (e/c) eyes look to bright auburn ones, finding them curious.

"Are you leaving now?" Gon asked, reeling in his fishing rod.

(Y/n) gave him a nod, "I have to. I've got four days left to find my target and finding her isn't really going to be easy you know. Besides, I think I'll do just fine. I just..I just needed someone to talk to about it, help figure out how to feel you know."

"Oh..I see. Well! If you're on your way, take this extra fish I cooked earlier! You might need it for the trip." Gon put his fishing rod down on the floor and picked up the cooked fish on a stick, handing it over to his friend. The smile on the girl's face grew wider as she looked at the gift. She accepts it eagerly.

"Thank you, Gon," the young woman beamed. With her free hand, she tugs on the strap of her backpack, adjusting it so that the straps weren't awkward on her shoulders. The two teens connected eyes for a moment before the girl had to break away. She can't get too lazy and just stay here all day. She has to keep moving! 

"I'll be on my way now, Gon. Thank you for your help yesterday."

"You're welcome! Anytime for a friend," Gon grinned at (Y/n), "Good luck on your trip. I hope you don't get hurt."

"I wish the same for you too."

Smiles and words were exchanged before (Y/n) had to officially part ways with her friend. He can manage just fine. (Y/n) was aware that he wasn't any other teen that she sees on the street. He was actually very bright and smart, it's just on some occasions it takes a while for him to process things. He also has some impressive physical attributes, so he can do just fine. The girl just hopes that she could say the same for herself too.

Well she was only concerned for her mind mostly. Her fighting abilities weren't too shabby, as they were just right.

Taking a couple of steps forward, (Y/n) turns her head to look back at Gon, finding that he was still looking at her walk away. Sending another, and perhaps final wave goodbye, the girl takes off sprinting. Her smaller form disappears behind the countless trees that decorate the forest. The girl was all alone again, but now with a little assurance coming from a friend and the determination to hunt down her target, she feels a little better.

Sprinting returns to regular walking as she takes a breather. (Y/n) doesn't want to stop completely, so she prompted for a slower speed. Her hands hang limp on her side as she leans forward to fight the weight of her backpack. Was it just her or was her backpack getting heavier by the minute? 

Maybe she was just tired.

She can't deal with another person right now. (Y/n) didn't want to fight anyone, for she was getting lazy to do so. Fighting adults really were..quite the challenge. Mentally, mostly, but not physically. The girl slumps forward, coming to the stop as she takes another breather. The weight of her backpack was getting heavier by the minute. Maybe she really needs to sit down and relax for a moment. She has been running and walking for a long time.

If you can say that walking for 4 hours is too long.

Walking to a nearby tree, (Y/n) takes a seat on the exposed giant tree roots. She places her backpack down, releasing the stress put on her shoulders and back. She stretches while sitting down, relieved her muscles of any soreness she had developed over the days with no relaxation. It was hard out here, (Y/n) could admit that, but she was good enough that she survives.

A hum leaves her as she leans back, her eyes looking up at the roofed sky. Trees provided shade from all around. You can say the air was cool as well, as the heads covered the sky. The only sunlight that could pass through were the ones shining from the cracks and gaps between the leaves. Although (Y/n) was quite pleased with how nice and refreshingly cold this place was, the fact that she can't see the sun bothered her. How will she know how much time she has left before she has to set up camp and rest for the night?

Maybe there was a meadow nearby, where the trees weren't at all aligned in a way to cover the blue heavens. That might be a nice place to camp out..but...it was an open area. She was going to be vulnerable there too. 

No where was safe, especially if someone is hunting you for points.

(Y/n) covers her face as she slumps forward, groaning as stress piled up on her shoulders. First murder and now she has to worry about survival. 

"Ugh," the (h/c) haired girl moaned. Shaking her head, she pulls on the skin of her face and lightly pats her cheeks. She has to focus. Now didn't seem to be the right time to think of survival. She was going to find that mysterious woman and she was going to get her badge and bring home a hunter license. Though survival in this place seemed very important, she prioritized the badge first. It was a one way ticket. Her survival can be another thing.

"Don't be lazy, we gotta keep moving.." (Y/n) tells herself. The girl hands her head low, letting her hands fall limp by her side. Her (e/c) eyes look at the dirt floor. A groan comes from her as thoughts filled her head again. Kicking the floor, she leans back, her gaze returning to the sight of trees.

This sight...she was getting tired of seeing just trees. She might as well be getting impatient.

Furrowing her eyebrows, (Y/n) kicks the floor again before she stands up. She picks up her small backpack, slinging it over her shoulder before she resumes her walk. Soon, probably, she'll find that white eyed woman and they'll have a little chat concerning the badge.

Seconds turn to minutes, and soon minutes turn into hours. (Y/n) had been walking for a while now, dragging her feet on the dirt at this point. She's not resting because there's so much ground to cover. Can she even find the woman within four days? How long has it really been now? This was the third day right? It felt like she's been walking for days now, even if only a couple of hours passed by. A frown places itself on her face as she looked at the time. 

It's nearing sundown.. 5 pm. Perhaps now would be a good time to find some shelter. 

(Y/n) puts her hand down and stares at the many trees around her. Those branches might be a good place to sleep on. She'll be less vulnerable up there than down on the floor. Besides, the floor was dirty, and she's already had too many stains on her shirt. She even had to rip some parts of it because of her nose, (Y/n) can't let her shirt get worse. A hum leaves her as she looked at the trees, tempted to just sit back and relax until the day is finally over.

But she can't.

There was still some day left over. The sun still shone some light down their part of the world. She can't rest now, she has to keep moving. 

(Y/n) shook her head as she dismiss her thoughts of resting down. Her hands tugged on the straps of her backpack as she kept her slow stride. The sight of trees were all she's going to be seeing now. Of course seeing anomalies like small animals would make the sight refreshing, but if it's just trees, then she was getting tired of it. The girl picks up speed, eventually running to cover more ground. 

Where was that woman.

Where could she even be?

Does she even have a clue to where she is?

After much thinking, (Y/n) realized that this whole scavenger hunt was going to be nothing because all she's done is aimless wandering. She doesn't even have a single clue to where number 227 is. The woman got out first before her...how the hell was she going to find her now? It's difficult to find a person if you don't have an exact location. So why should she even bother.

Her sprint quickly shifts speed, her legs now back to walking. Slumping over, the woman sulks over her conundrum, finding it hard to find answers. A groan leaves her as she grows frustrated with herself. She can't give up. What if she breaks the odds and _actually_ finds the woman. A small frown decorates her (s/c) face as she pulls on the skin of her cheeks, dragging it down. 

She was tired, she wanted to just get her license and go back home.

But she doesn't wanna leave her friends. She doesn't even know how to keep in touch with them. The least she can do is stick around.

Perhaps journeying with them might give her a clue to where her papa was. The thought of exploring new territories by herself scared her a little. What if she can't defeat some enemies, which then result to her death, which then result to her dying before she could find her papa. Journeying alone wasn't pleasant at all, which makes (Y/n) decide that she's going to stick with the group until she does find clues to her dad's location! 

That sure sounds like a plan! 

Well that's only one part..of her plan to find her dad.

She'll be able to execute that step in the overall plan _if_ she can find that blue haired woman.

A huff leaves (Y/n) as she holds her head high, shaking it afterwards to dismiss the thoughts that got her sidetracked. Her lips return to a neutral smile as she kept her walk, this time she tries to conserve her energy. Within a couple of minutes, she resorts to running. Then after running for a while she returns her slower speed. It was a fixed routine, finding that it might be the most helpful for her. The thought for the plan was simple.

She can't keep running. She'll lose energy.

She can't keep walking. She'll lose time.

It was easy to execute too.

Time ticked fast and soon the sun sets, letting the curtains of night cover the blue sky. An abyss was overhead, decorated with bright, twinkling lights. As soon as the moon appeared, it was a sign for (Y/n) to settle down on a tree and rest. Her eyes settle on a silhouette of a giant tree before her. She scans the giant stump, trying to find a low branch to sleep on. Using nen, she gives herself a jump boost. Her feet land on the thick, wooden limbs of the tree. 

It was wider than she thought. Maybe she picked a super big tree to sleep on. A hum leaves her, satisfied with the results of her efforts. Walking closer to the trunk of the tree, she places her backpack against it. She used it as a cushion since leaning on the wood might not be so pleasant.

Of course she doesn't worry about bugs crawling on her and stuff, but just to be safe, she'll have her bag there.

Her (e/c) eyes stare at the dark green leaves of the tree. It's hair covered the sight of the bright stars above. What a shame. The nights now were beautiful. Staring in the harsh darkness of the night, (Y/n) starts to think about what she's done so far. She thinks more about the person she's after.

Well today there wasn't much progress done, but hopefully soon she can find number 227. She wants to get her name too, since she seemed like an interesting person. If that person's name was already said before, she must have not been listening because she sure doesn't know her name.

"Hiding in the shadows huh?" (Y/n) asked herself. A soft laugh comes from her as she turns to her side. She gets comfortable on the branch, as comfortable as she can get. She sinks further down, her head resting against her tilted backpack. It might not be the most ideal pillow right now but hey, she can't argue.

"I hope you're not so transparent..227."

A hum comes from her as she stares at the dark, empty space. Such little light passes through the thick leaves of the trees. It was so hard to see things in this..pitch black view. Maybe that was for the best. Curling up into a ball, she gives herself little warmth. Fire would have been a nice idea, but fire in a place like this seemed like a bad idea. Forest fires...those are hard to deal with..and she'd have to be near the floor to get the heat of the fire.

She'll tough it out. She's slept without a blanket before. She can do it.

Hugging herself, (Y/n)'s hands tightly grasp the remaining cloth on her arms. Keeping herself in an embrace would be enough. It's all she ever did back then. Dwelling with such darkness, stuck in such a problem, it was hard to sleep. With an empty stomach, it was worse. But it's not like she hasn't experienced this before. It was fine. This was okay.

Thoughts filled the girl's mind as she kept herself in the dark, hugging herself for warmth. Her mind buzzed as she focused on a sliver of light just a couple of meters away from her position. The moon must have moved.

How long has she been laying here? Has she fully lost track of time?

More and more things piled in her head and eventually it all stopped. A sigh comes from (Y/n) as she shakes her head. Her hands stop holding her arms as they retire to cover her face. She covers her face, trying her best to avoid thinking about more problems.

Sleep.

Sleep is all she needed right now.

A fairy would bless her soon later. Her body loses tension as the girl loses consciousness. Her breathing returns to normal as she goes limp on the tree branch. Coos of the cicadas and crickets echoed throughout the night, letting the dark sing their song. Hush would fall over the forest. Another night passes by and still...

No progress.

Hours pass by, and soon those hours stack up to days. (Y/n) had been wandering the forest for quite some time now and surprisingly enough she hasn't really encountered anyone in her path. The nights previous to a new day were restless, as she had spent her time thinking and thinking. She hasn't had a proper meal, as she deemed that the food and fruits found on the island were not safe. The only things she's got were candy, which was enough for her anyway. 

Time ticks fast when your mind is constantly buzzing with both negative and positive thoughts. Each were a push and pull, as her emotions were mixed. She seemed unsatisfied during some points of her walk, and sometimes she forces herself to think positively, reminding herself of her father most of the time. (Y/n) was getting tired of seeing just trees. She increasingly gets tired of seeing grass, trunks, and a shady gloomy area. 

The sun..she misses seeing all of it, for once. The night sky..the stars..the green leaves cover the void up above, making it hard for her to see them at night. Everyday she grows tired of the woodlands, getting homesick with each step.

But she can't just leave. She has to stay.

How else will she get her hunter's license? How else will she keep in contact with her new friends?

The task she was given was difficult, but her papa didn't raise a quitter. Her uncle didn't raise a quitter. Even if she wanted to leave now, she can't. Both her mind and heart are set on one thing, and one thing only. 

Papa. Find papa.

(Y/n) keeps on moving, despite her aching legs. Pushing through, she finds it difficult to move her feet. A sigh comes from her as she heads towards a nearby stump. Her body slumps down on it, her hands immediately going to cover her face. Taking in a deep breath, she lets out tension that sat on her shoulders. Her nose starts to hurt once more. The girl needs the pills before those sharp pains come back.

Taking her bag and rummaging through it's contents, she finds a small container of pills. The orange casing and it's white cap were a sight to see. It was different than seeing trees.

"These are strong, take it once a day," Leorio's voice rang in her mind. A strong pinch appears on her nose, making her grimace. Her hands grab a bottle and a single capsule. With a single gulp, she takes in the medicine. The pain was still there, but it'll go away soon. The bottleof water was placed back in her bag, as well as the pain medication. (E/c) eyes stare at the dirt floor. Tufts of grass decorate the brown floor, placing color on such a boring looking thing. 

"You've been doing well," A voice spoke behind (Y/n), making her body tense up. It was hushed, feminine, but still a little chilling. She quickly grabs her backpack and jumps, giving distance between her and whoever the hell was behind her. Her heart thumps loudly as she stares at the person who crept up to her. 

The familiar white eyes, the dark blue hair, the black poncho..that pale face. A frown was on the woman's face as she stared at the young girl. Her hands were still by her side, her chin hiding behind her turtleneck as she looks down. 

The aura she gave off was different this time but it held a hint of dread. (Y/n) looked at the blue haired woman, her hands playing with the air around her. There was silence between the two females as they stared at each other. Both had opposite looks than the other. One had a hint of panic in her eyes, while the other was calm. 

Number 227 was surely confident in her skills of fighting this young girl. But why would she? What was the purpose? She already knows what the girl has in her possession. She wants it. She knows that she'll agree to a compromise.

Her visions were absolute. They were always true.

"You look anxious..Do you think I would hurt you?" Number 227 spoke, her voice still hushed but it was loud enough to be heard by (Y/n).

The young girl looked at her target before she shifts her gaze to her hands. Air surrounds them, as it too surrounds her feet. A getaway tactic, but also it can be used for speed and getting a boost in her punch. (Y/n) tries to calm herself down but she keeps her senses alert. Who knows what this person wants from her. The girl kept her silence as she looked at the monotone lady. Her frown seems to grow deeper as no words were exchanged.

"Did I scare you?" The blue haired woman asked, her head tilting towards the side. She takes a step forward, her sandals hitting the soft dirt on her feet. Number 227 watches as the young girl also takes a step back. A hum comes from her as she stood still. Her hands were displayed in front of her, trying to show her that she doesn't want to fight. 

She only wants a compromise. 

(Y/n) stares at the woman, confused but also somewhat terrified. The gesture she recently made..it told her that she meant no harm, but how can she trust that person now? The girl decided that she can't keep her guard down, but instead, take advantage of her vulnerability. (E/c) eyes look around, trying to find some vantage point or way she can take so she can take down this woman and take her badge. 

Number 227 stands still, her hands still in front of her. The frown on her face seemed to grow as she continues to watch the poor girl. She has trouble trusting her, but of course she knows why. The young girl thinks that she's going to get hurt when she's vulnerable. Tough girl act. The fortune teller could only laugh at such an act, but it was perfectly reasonable. 

Just one look, and one can tell that she was going to need to keep up this act. (Y/n) can act soft all she want, but playing the tough girl act can help her in the future. Oh..she knows.

The (H/c) haired teen stared at the older woman before she makes her move. Taking a quick dash to her side, (Y/n) takes a zig-zag path towards the black clothed lady. Her arm goes in for a quick punch but it was stopped by a pale hand. Her target kept a strong grip on her and no matter how strong she tugs to take back her wrist, it wouldn't budge. 

"You're a quick little girl. Did you learn that from all those years of running?" Number 227 scoffed, a smile tugged on the ends of her lips. Her single white eye looks at the panicked expression of the girl she kept in her grasp. Her hold on (Y/n)'s wrist grew tighter, making her wince. She could have a little fun with this since the girl initially refused her peaceful gestures. The ends of her mouth go down back to a neutral frown as she stares at the teen.

"Teenagers were always so troublesome," the dark blue haired lady sighed. Shaking her head, she clears her throat before speaking again. Her words were stopped when she felt (Y/n) trying to tug her way out of there. Panic. She was panicking. Must it be the heavy sense of dread that she was scared of? She doesn't have an off switch for that..it stays on her forever. The girl would have to deal with it.

Tugging on the (s/c) wrist she had in her grasp, number 227 looks at her captive saying "If you resist any further, I might as well break your wrist."

(Y/n) stops her struggling after a threat rises in the air. Gulping in her anxiety, she connects eyes with her target's single white eye. A smile decorated that pale woman's face. She wasn't sure what to feel about that look, but one thing's for certain..she can't really trust this woman. The dread she gave off..it scared her, it woke up the little baby inside her. It made her a coward.

"Now that I have your attention, I'll introduce myself," the white eyed woman hummed, "Seraphina. I'm your target."

Despite the nice voice, there was a hint of venom. It was like a snake hissing at her, trying to manipulate her thoughts, trying to convince her that she's no problem to her. (Y/n) can't..trust her. The teen kept herself quiet as she kept her gaze on Seraphina's white eye. 

"A cat got your tongue? Don't worry. I know who you are already. Your little friend Gon was loud about it, (Y/n)," the witch cackled softly as she loosened her grip on the girl's wrist. The look on (Y/n)'s face when she spoke about Gon, ah! How priceless it was! Fear fueled Seraphina with adrenaline, giving her a short lived high. Ah..there's the reason why she gives off dread all the time.

Fear. It fuels her.

(Y/n) started to struggle again, yanking and tugging her wrist out of Seraphina's grip. Her mind was set on one thing and it was to get away from this woman. Like a snake, the older woman's grasp on her arm grew tight again, constricting her. The blue haired woman squeezed tighter, adding pressure and pain on her wrist. She was stuck, something that (Y/n) never liked to be in. Stuck in such a worrying and problematic situation.

"See..this is why you kids are bothersome. You all never listen...brats," Seraphina groaned, shaking her head. Her white eye looked at (Y/n)'s widened (e/c) eyes, finding another high. Taking in a deep breath, she smiles wider. 

"I didn't want to hurt you..you know..so this was your choice, not mine." 

Seraphina smiled at (Y/n), "I'll give you two options since holding your hand is too much of a burden for me," she brings up her other hand, lifting her index finger, "One, you can stop struggling and _listen_ to me, or two, you continue to struggle and I end up breaking your wrist. Which one do you think sounds better, (Y/n)?" 

The (h/c) haired girl glares at the woman before she forces her body to stand still. The grip around her wrist starts loosening, giving her freedom. With the other hand, she rubs the squeezed area. It was..somewhat painful at first, but it soon disappeared. The gap between her and Seraphina grew as (Y/n) takes a couple of steps forward.

"I'm glad you're smart too," Seraphina remarked, making (Y/n) roll her eyes. Nen surrounds her wrist and feet once more. Now surely this time she'll snatch it and run away from the scene, if the plan is executed well. While being close to that woman, she finds a back satchel. The girl figures that it's where her badge is hiding. A hum from the older woman catches her attention, her sight finding a small, smile on the woman's pale face.

"You're not going to get it unless you listen to me, brat," the dark blue haired woman scoffed, crossing her arms, "It's not where you think I put it."

"How will I believe you on that, Seraphina?"

"So you finally speak huh?"

Tension rises once more as the two females looked at each other. Another hum leaves Seraphina's pink lips as she stares at the younger girl. From her sleeve, she pulls out her badge. The sight of the white card made (Y/n)'s eyes widen for a moment, before she hides her excitement.

"You want it...I know you do," Seraphina smiled. Her hand retracts the badge back into her sleeve, leaving her hands empty.

"Listen... _child_...the only way you're going to get it is if you give me what I want," the woman spat. She extends her arm, exposing her palm. Seraphina expects something from (Y/n). The badge that she had in her pockets, the masked man's badge. Ah she can remember the day she watched her fight that one guy, finding her emotions quite baffling.

Any applicant in the exam is expected to be emotionless when it comes to murder, but this one broke down during her first kill. Although curious, it was quite fun seeing a little girl cry. 

"What the hell do you want."

An answer rose in the air. An answer that the older woman expected to come out of (Y/n). Tilting her head to the side, Seraphina spoke, "Number 303."

Now it was the young girl's turn to mimic the woman's actions. That wasn't her number..her number was 375, not 303. (Y/n) thought about it for a moment before she realized something. 

The man..the man she killed. That was probably his number.

"How did you know the number? Better yet, How do you know _I_ have that number on me?"

"Would you like to know?" 

Would she..like to know? (Y/n) had to think about that now. How bad is Seraphina's answer gonna be anyway. Besides, she probably watched the fight or something, which is why she knows. This woman hides in shadows, this woman can conceal her presence well. 

"Tell me. I don't care how bad it is."

"I watched you, (Y/n)." The woman hummed, leaning back. She held her head high as she took small steps to her. (Y/n) didn't seemed fazed. She probably expected that answer. A quiet huff leaves the woman as she started circling the girl's form. 

"It was nice watching you break down afterwards. I expected that a daughter of a heaven's arena champion would be stronger than that, don't you think?" Seraphina continued, "I watched you sob, I watched you cry to the picture of your father. I was so close to just stealing that badge from you, but I figured ' _Ah no I should play with my food first'._ And so I followed you and here we are now."

Seraphina almost couldn't contain her laughter as she mentioned her father's profession. Come on, as if no one knows that (Y/n) was the daughter of Heaven's arena's old nature shifting champion. It's obvious too. Everyone's looking for a lost little girl and here she is, standing right before the supposed heir to the crown at heaven's arena. 

"H-How did you-" (Y/n) stutters out, her heart beating loud in her ears. Air envelopes her arms as she takes a step closer to Seraphina, finding that the woman stops in her place. What was she feeling in her chest? Rage? Curiosity? A little mix of both? Her mind can't decide on what to feel.

"How did you know- How _do_ you know my father?"

"Come on..as if you don't remember your father was heaven's arena's proclaimed champion for years. Don't tell me the lost little girl forgot her father already," Seraphina taunted the younger girl, a smile decorating her face as she studied her facial expressions. Nen manifests in Seraphina's hands, a vine slithers out of her sleeve, or at least that's what it looks like. 

(Y/n) eyes widen at the sight of a plant coming from the white eyed woman's arm. That technique...she remembers that technique. Her father used to be able to make plants appear out of thin air..that was his specialty. H..how..?

"You're interested, aren't you. You think I have information about your papa, huh?" Seraphina grows cocky as she played with the girl's feelings. The different expressions, oh how it feeds her ego. Her hand extends out once more, holding out an empty palm.

"Well...the tag. I need it now."

(Y/n) snaps out of her curious state, shaking her head to further bring herself back from her mind. Her hands clench into fists as she stares at the woman, a frown now decorating her face. 

"I want something in return."

Seraphina arched a brow, retracting her palm and placing it back to her side. She sent a small grin at the girl as she knows what she's going to say. It all comes down to this.

_"I want your tag."_

"I want your tag, Seraphina, in exchange for number 303. You better promise it," (Y/n) spoke. Her (e/c) eyes never leave the sight of the older woman, but every time she looks at her, she gets this itch. An itching feeling of asking her what information she knows about her father. Seraphina definitely looks like a suspicious character, and she definitely, or most likely, has something about her dad. She can't ask for it now, however, as it seemed too much. She doesn't want to tip a good offer now.

"I knew you were going to say that," Seraphina hummed, "Well..I have no other choice do I." Coming out of her sleeve was her tag. She holds the badge with two fingers, holding it high enough for (Y/n) to see. 

A huff leaves the (h/c) haired teen as she pulled out the badge number from her short's pockets. There was some dried blood on it. God..she was hoping that stain didn't transfer to her shorts. She wipes it off, making sure that the number was visible. 303...the badge really did have that number on it. 

Both (Y/n) and Seraphina take steps forward, closing in on the space between them. Both females look at each other in the eye as they exchanged tags. A smile decorates the pale woman's face as she looked at the badge in her hand. Even if she had to sacrifice her badge, she had three to spare. She went fishing for some before she followed the little girl. Ah..how easy it was to beat three geezers and get their badges. 

A high pitched giggle comes from Seraphina as she kept her grin. Leaning forward, she comes close to the teen's ear.

"I don't have information about your papa," the blue haired female whispered, "tv is public you know, anyone could have known him."

Pulling away from such a close position, the white haired lady studied the girl's still expression. Her eyes were wide, displaying her shock for a moment. A feeling of disappointment comes from the girl's body, making the older woman cackle loud and clear. The lady smiled as she pats the young girl's head. 

"I look forward to getting your bounty money, (Y/n)." 

Within a snap, Seraphina disappears behind the teen. (Y/n) stands still, her heart getting heavy with an unknown feeling. Fear? No it's not that. Worry perhaps? No..not that either.

So what was she feeling?

(E/c) eyes look down at the badge that she held in her hands. The badge...number 227. At the very least the woman was true to her word. She felt the tag, making sure that this wasn't some sort of..fake badge that she took. The white object felt real alright..it also had the same glittery effect to it whenever the sun shone down on it. A sigh leaves her mouth as she thought about what Seraphina said.

Tv..was indeed public..anyone would have known her father if they watched any of the heaven's arena fights. Her father would show her off sometimes whenever he was at interviews. He was...what the public called a celebrity. (Y/n) never fancied that life, as there were too much cameras around her, trying to take pictures. Sometimes, people would attempt to take her away, but she always was stuck in her papa's room that it's difficult to even take her.

Sighing, (Y/n) pushes away any thoughts about her past life, not wanting to think about it. Instead, the girl focused on what she has now..the present. She may have gotten what she wanted, but...she was left curious. Bounty...did she really..have a bounty in her head? She wore her last name proudly but now she wasn't so certain if she should.

Bounty....bounty on her head.

(Y/n) covers her face with her hands, tugging her skin as she dragged her hands down her cheeks. God..this was stressful to think about. She did acquire new information..well mostly for herself. It's either true or not...but (Y/n) has to surely be careful now. Shaking her head again, she tries to erase the thoughts in her mind. 

"I should just leave.." (Y/n) told herself, dragging her feet back to a walk. Now she starts her journey on getting to the other side of the island, where she would spend most of her days waiting around probably. Alone..she would be alone again. Ah..how she can't wait to meet her friends at the end. Her troubled thoughts were pushed back by the thoughts of seeing her friends again, of seeing her uncle again.

"Think of happy thoughts, (Y/n), think of happy thoughts."

And for the rest of her journey to the other end of the island, its all she tries to think about. (Y/n) tries her best to not let her thoughts trouble her as to avoid hurting herself more. The girl tries to think positively to get her to where she needs to be.

Time runs quicker if your mind is thinking of more positives rather than negatives. It reached the final day on the island and there she sat on a tree branch, watching everyone crowd around the tour guide. A smile decorates her face as she sees a familiar albino. Ah..he was a refreshing sight alright. She hasn't seen him for days now! She wonders if he's doing okay. 

Hopping down and using her nen to soften her fall, she runs up to Killua, stopping herself before they collide. Killua turns his head to find a familiar face standing beside him. A small smile decorates his face as he sent her a wave. 

"Nice to see that you're alive. I thought you would have died ya know," Killua joked around, lightly punching the girl's arm. A giggle comes from the teen as she shakes her head, punching him back too.

"Did ya get three people or did you fight only one person. I'm guessing you didn't get number 227 huh?" 

(Y/n) stuck out her tongue at her friend playfully as she stuck her hand in her pocket, pulling out a tag that has the numbers 227 on one side. Killua's eyes widen, his smile growing in size. 

"I did get it, excuse you! Look!"

"Must have been a rough fight huh?"

"Mmm..well you could say that, but it's not really that."

The albino tilted his head to the side, curious about her response. "Well what makes you say that?"

"We did sort of fight but not really at the same time..ya know? Like a mini battle but then we had this weird compromise," (Y/n) spoke, clearly skimming over the part where Seraphina calls her out. Speaking of her..identity being released, it was weird that no one else knows who she is. Or they might and they just didn't choose to interact with her.

Well a person's face _can_ change over the years so it would be hard to recognize her if you base her appearance on her baby photos. (Y/n) was glad that no one calls her out. Seraphina _did_ but that was more private than public.

"A compromise huh? Tell me the terms."

"I had to give her this one guy's badge in exchange for her badge."

"One guy? Did you fight someone before fighting her?"

"Yeah..well..had to _kill_ the man and I had some trouble with it but..like..I guess I'm fine," (Y/n) murmured. Shaking her head, she continues her conversation, "That reminds me..uhh..if it's okay to ask...did you feel any guilt when you first killed someone."

"Nah."

The response made her eyes widen, but maybe she should have expected that. Killua did say that he was conditioned into that life..so he had to get used to it at a young age or something. A small " _oh"_ comes from (Y/n) as she looks away from her friend. A small smile decorates her face as she rubs her arm. 

"You felt it huh?" Killua asked, his gaze looking to the boat that was parked beside the island's edge. 

"What if I did?"

"If you think I'm going to call you weak for it, I wont."

"Well I'm not thinking that but okay.."

"Look," Killua now turned his body to face his friend, finding that she was somewhat troubled, "You were raised differently, so of course you felt it. With me, it's whatever at this point."

(Y/n) was silent for a moment, her ears listening to her friend. A laugh comes from her as she shakes her head, "Yeah..yeah I get that."

Everything was still between the two teens as they. After a short moment of peace, the two teens started to talk again, to relieve the heavy, awkward silence. Just a couple of minutes later, Leorio, Gon, and Kurapika appeared to the scene with smiles on their faces. Surprisingly they made it here in time. The team was now fully reunited, back together as they should be. The other two greet the three, chatting after they exchange greetings. The group spent the remaining minutes talking to each other, speaking of trials they all went through.

It was a surprise that Gon managed to get Hisoka's badge. It was a surprise that Leorio had gotten his badge as well. The pre-med's target seemed to be the most troublesome as they had to find his target in a cave. The woman that Leorio had to get was stuck in one...with a bunch of snakes. Luckily everyone made it out of there alive. 

Laughs filled the air before a whistle was blown in the air. Everyone's attention was focused on the tour guide's smaller form. A smile graced the woman's face as she congratulated the remaining applicants in the exam. Those who were not able to get their target's badges were sent home using the boat. Those who were able to obtain the right amount of points were able to progress to the next stage by airship. 

"Well we don't have all day! Let's get going!" (Y/n) called her friends over, boarding the airship first. God..she was so ready to get out of that place.

"Actually I think we do have all day," Killua spoke, laughing a little as soon as he saw her glare.

"Well whatever! I'm so ready to get a room and sleep all day," (Y/n) stuck her tongue out playfully, giggling, "But I can't sleep on an empty stomach. Last one to the cafeteria is a rotten egg!"

"H-Hey!" Gon and Killua called out to (Y/n) but within minutes, the young girl already took off. The two boys looked at each other smiling, before they dashed in the airship, following their friend to the cafeteria. 

Kurapika and Leorio looked at each other and then at the energetic teens. A smile spreads across the blonde's face as he starts walking in. Leorio trails him, both entering the aircraft. 

"Kids are weird."

"For people who are younger than me by a year..they sure are."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Are you deaf or something?! Hey! I'm right here!! "

"Man being on an airship sure beats being down there in a damn forest," (Y/n) smiled, taking a bite of her meal. She gobbles it all up as she hasn't had a meal in days! Sure she had some food for the week but they weren't enough to fill her up. She's ran out of granola bars and candy as well over the week of staying in that giant island.

(Y/n) gobbles her food down, drinking water to prevent herself from choking. Killua and Gon watch her munch and slurp up all the contents on her plate, watching her get up and get another plate for food. The two boys looked at each other and laughed, shaking their heads as they too got another serving. The three teens competed on who would get the most food and they were really stressing out the chefs. Within minutes they were escorted out due to how fast they were eating.

The (h/c) haired girl looked at the closed doors, finding the chefs glare at them through a small window. She stomps her feet, throwing a mini tantrum.

"That's no fair. I was super hungry ya know..and they had the _audacity_ to throw us out!" (Y/n) pouted, shaking her head. She stops her childish behavior and wipes her mouth. She mumbles words to herself as she stares at the wall, glaring at it almost.

"Well if you hadn't been acting like a vacuum machine and eating everything, maybe we wouldn't have been kicked out," Killua nudged (Y/n)'s shoulder, laughing a little.

"We were..eating a lot too ya know," Gon pointed out, this time it was his turn to nudge Killua. A bright grin decorated his tan features before he shifts his attention to (Y/n).

"Not as much as (Y/n) over there though."

Both Gon and Killua snickered at each other as they watched (Y/n) grow a little hot headed from their attention. Huffing a little, the girl crossed her arms and started to tap the floor with her foot. She turned her head to the side and grumbled words to herself, mostly curse words originating from her father's mother tongue. 

"Well whatever! At least I ate more than you guys!" the (h/c) haired girl shook her head and huffed once more. Her eyes connected with Killua's blues before looking at Gon's auburns. 

"You'll have to pay the higher bill."

"Eh? That's not true at all! The food here is free. You both better zip it before I make yo-"

(Y/n) was cut off by the voice over the intercom. It sounded pretty serious, but why would they be saying something at this time of night? Perhaps people are more lively at night as they had enough rest from the naps they took earlier in the afternoon. The voice rang throughout the airship, filling the silence that occupied the area. The girl had managed to cool down enough to shift her attention the person talking on the speakers. Killua and Gon had done the same as they too kept quiet.

Although it was a rather short announcement, it was an odd one. It spoke of an interview that the chairman is going to conduct with the remaining applicants. It piqued the interest of (Y/n) the most. It made her wonder what the questions were going to be. The reason to why there were interview sessions were unknown too. The person over the speaker only spoke of just _the_ interview, nothing else. 

A pout decorates (Y/n)'s face as she turns back to look at her two companions, finding that they were also curious. Gon looked the most curious. Killua just looked bored enough to be interested in taking part of the interview. He would need to anyway, even if he wasn't so interested with it in the first place.

"My uncle never told me about an interview. I'm guessing this is new," (Y/n) murmured, pulling on the straps of her backpack. A yawn leaves her mouth as she stretched, making sure that she's fit for walking around more. Sure the idea of sleep was in the back of her mind but it seemed too early to sleep. Like..it was 8 in the evening, and knowing herself, (Y/n) would probably never sleep at reasonable hours. Unless she's on the brink of passing out.

"The exam isn't the same each year ya know," Killua spoke as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

"Wonder what's the interview for. They didn't really say anything else about it during the announcement," Gon muttered, "Other than the number order..we don't really know much about what's going to happen during the interview." The boy's auburn eyes look to his friends beside him, finding that they had different expressions. (Y/n) was, once again, looking tired, while Killua didn't really seem to care about it. 

"If we're going by number..does that mean.." (Y/n) picked her tag out of her chest, staring at the big, bold numbers. With just one look at her tag, she could feel her stomach rumbling with anxiety. Her number..was close to that one guy. That Gittarackur guy. (E/c) eyes widen before she pins her badge back on her chest, shaking her head to push away the unsettling vibe she got from her thoughts. A sigh leaves her as she dips her head low, finding that her nervousness mixed with her exhaustion. 

"375? You're right after Pinhead," Killua pointed out the obvious, which made (Y/n) sulk more. Gon leaned a little forward to watch his friend mope over the fact that she goes after someone scary. Well..in his opinion that guy didn't seem scary at all. Hell..he doesn't really find anyone unsettling here.

"I don't think Gittarackur is that bad. I mean he's just there. He hasn't really talked to us." 

"Yeah yeah he's not _that_ scary. I just don't like the vibes he gives off. He...doesn't seem like a good person," (Y/n) murmurs. She brings her head up again, taking in a deep breath while doing so. A hum comes from her as she looked at her two friends.

"Do you guys not get bad vibes from people?" (Y/n) asked, tilting her head to the side, "It's really easy to know when a person is just oozing out bad vibes." The girl knows for certain that it's easy to tell if a person has just oozing out unpleasant aura. Hisoka, for example, has an unsettling aura around him. Seraphina was also another person who gives off dreadful aura. It was weird how they do that..even (Y/n) couldn't understand how people do that.

Then again..(Y/n) thinks she can never be intimidating to anyone, but she can try if she wanted to! There's always a chance to see if she could.

"Sometimes no, sometimes yes. It depends on the situation ya know but I try not to judge people based on what you call their _vibes,"_ Killua replied to her question, earning him an odd look from the young woman. 

"I never really pay attention to people's vibes soooo...I don't think I can tell the difference between good and bad people," Gon added on to their conversation. 

(Y/n) blinked, looking somewhat astonished. Well she must be judging people heavily because she can definitely see Gittarackur as a bad person. Just the look...and his aura..it was obviously ominous. Evil intent oozes out of that man. Sighing, (Y/n) shakes her head, turning her focus to walking around with her friends.

"Well whatever. Moving on," (Y/n) hummed, "Let's just get back to where Kurapika and Leorio are. Maybe they're still awake. I mean they _have_ to be cuz of the interviews. Let's go meet up with them first. I think they're still at Hisoka's number."

The three teenagers spent several minutes wandering around the airship, talking mostly about nonsense and things that they could all talk about together. They never really ran out of topics to talk about, and Gon or (Y/n) often had weird stories to talk about as they continued exploring. Eventually they find Kurapika and Leorio sitting near one of the window seats that the airship offered. They each had a warm drink with them. (Y/n) was now contemplating if she should have gotten some earlier.

"Hey. Nice to see that you three are back. How was the cafeteria?" Kurapika asked, smiling to the trio of reckless teenagers. 

"Well we would have stayed longer if (Y/n) hadn't sucked up all the food like a void-" Killua was cut short when he felt a quick jab on his side. A short cough leaves him, making him glare at the female that stood beside him. There (Y/n) stood wearing a pout on her face. Rubbing his side a little, Killua let out a small " _tch"_ before continuing.

"But..other than _that,_ we've had a good meal."

"To be honest, we were eating like voids too ya know Killua," Gon muttered, "But yeah we ate a lot! You guys left the cafeteria earlier than us so you didn't see how many plates we had on our table!"

"They had around 5 plates ya know, and I had 3 plates only! 3 plates!" (Y/n) exclaimed, her hands balling up into fists, "I did eat a lot though..but it was enough to keep me full for another 4 days!" The girl beamed a bright grin but it softened when she let out a small laugh.

"Well maybe the 3 plates were enough to fill my stomach after not having a proper meal for days."

Kurapika hummed, smiling softly as he took a sip of coffee. "I'm glad you three didn't completely raid the cafeteria. Surely the meals were enough to fill you guys up for days."

"Talk about competitive eaters. God I don't remember the last time I ate at least 3 plates. I think..it was some sort of a birthday party though, at a friend's place or somethin like that," Leorio was seen chuckling as he remembers an old memory from his earlier teen years, "Yup, it was a friend's birthday and they had this whole all you can eat buffet! The most I could eat though was around 3 plates. 5 plates full of food seems a little too much for me."

"Is that why you're skinny Leorio?" (Y/n) laughed, joking around.

"Hey watch it kid. I'm pure muscle!"

The (h/c) haired girl's smile seemed to grow at Leorio's additional comment. " _Surrrreeeeee._ "

The group shared a couple of laughs here and there, making such a light atmosphere. Despite what they've all been through in this exam, they seem to be such good friends. It's only been a couple of days and (Y/n) already sees these people as close friends. It was a wonder how cooperation can make people closer. A person speaks over the intercom, calling over Killua. The albino looked at his companions before he dismissed himself quietly. Everyone silently watched him walk away. Right after that, they change their attention somewhere else.

"Oh by the way, how's your nose? You remember to take your meds right?" The tall pre-med placed his briefcase on the table beside him.

"Of course I remember. I ain't a little kid ya know, Leorio. I remember when to take it."

"Hey hey just makin sure. Ya never know, those meds might go away at the wrong times and give ya a good punch in the face," Leorio spoke. The male opened his briefcase, showing off his many packed medications. They were in capsules too, and some were in syringes. There were rolls of bandages on the side and some first aid wipes. The medic was surely ready.

"Well you're fully prepared.." Kurapika mused, sipping some of his warm tea. His dark grey eyes scan the inside of the briefcase, finding medical trinkets here and there, "What are those syringes for? Sedatives maybe?"

"Sedatives..tranquilizers. You would think that I'm certified to even have these in my case, " Leorio snickered, shaking his head, "I'm just kidding. These are all anesthetics." Leorio grabbed one of his syringes, showing it off.

"I can definitely have these on with me, so don't worry about me."

The pre-med placed the syringe back in his briefcase and closed it. A hum comes from him as he shook his head, "You don't need any more meds do you?"

"I don't think we'll be staying here any longer. Just a couple of days. I have enough pills to get by, Leorio," (Y/n) grinned at her friend, "Thank you again. I wouldn't know how to ignore the pain for all those days without you, Leorio."

The male who wore glasses seemed shocked for a moment before he shakes his head to dismiss his feelings. Nodding his head, he let out a short chuckle, "Of course, kid, don't mention it."

The rest of the minutes were spent yapping their mouths about whatever topics they could talk about. Killua came back earlier than expected, which made everyone think that the supposed interview won't take long. (Y/n) brings up a small story where she climbed a tree, which then resulted to her breaking a few legs. She was only 6 years old at the time and she was capable, for some reason, to climb a tree that was super tall. 

The story was cut short however when the speaker called (Y/n)'s number over. A hum leaves the girl's mouth as she looked at her friends. Sharing a grin to them, she waves goodbye so that she could walk to where the chairman was. The stroll there wasn't at all boring, as it only took a matter of seconds. The girl was expecting to run across Gittarakur but it seemed like her silent prayers were answered when she didn't. It was such a relief. 

(Y/n) enters the room quietly. Her (e/c) eyes look around the room, finding a table and behind it sat the chairman. The jolly old man greeted her with a smile before he invited her to have a seat. Taking in a invitation, the girl takes a seat on the soft red cushion placed there for her. The pillow was quite warm..probably from another person's heat. Once she was settled down, the interview began.

"So why do you want to become a hunter?"

"A relative of mine told me that the hunter license can give a person access to places that normally people wouldn't be able to go to. I wanna find someone. This _someone_ is very dear to me, Mr. Chairman, and I fully believe this license can let me find him without any restrictions."

A hum leaves Netero, feeling satisfied with her answer. That answer surely confirmed her suspicion about her.

She was none other than Angelo Minimeta's daughter. 

"Moving on," the chairman mused. He moved around in his seat, getting comfortable. "Which one of the remaining applicants interest you the most?"

"That's easy. Number 227. I have a sneaking suspicion that she knows something and I would like to ask her more."

(Y/n) was surely interested but she wasn't sure if Seraphina really had something for her. Her gut was telling her that what she was saying, about a bounty and things like that, were fake. They were just a tactic to scare her. There was a part in her mind that was telling her that she does know something. That woman was definitely a nen user, but her powers were unknown to (Y/n). She must be a specialist, or something of that matter.

"Do you have any applicants that you would like to avoid fighting?" Netero asked, cutting (Y/n)'s thought process. The old man placed his hands on the table, watching and waiting for the girl to speak.

"Numbers 99, 403, 404, and 405, sir. I have a good friendship with them and I'd like to avoid hurting them. If I can add any additional numbers, number 44 and 301. I have nothing against them, I just don't think they'll be..uhh.. _easy_ opponents."

A short chuckle leaves the chairman, taking a mental note of that. Netero looks at (Y/n) with a smile before he waves her off. "That is all I needed. Thank you. You may go now."

"Right.." (Y/n) murmured. She nodded her head and stood up, leaving the room completely. Her mind was debating about what the interview was for, but she wouldn't really know till they announce it. Shrugging her shoulders, forcing herself to stop before she overthinks things again, the girl walks back to where her friends are. She wouldn't need to worry.

Not for a couple of days that is.

Hours went zooming by after the talk with the chairman. It had been three days since that interview and the remaining applicants have arrived at a strange building. The place was owned by the Hunter Association, as they were told.. The hotel was gigantic..it seemed like a resort mostly. (Y/n) was eager to explore the area but they were immediately escorted to some sort of giant room. 

There goes her hope of finding secret areas. 

The applicants were rounded up in a room that had a lot of space. It could perhaps fit a big party, or maybe a wedding. Maybe something even bigger than the things she was thinking of. The chairman of the board appeared, wheeling in a board covered with a beige blanket. Everyone looked around in anticipation, watching the old man's every move.

"As everyone knows, we have come to the final phase of the exam. For the last phase, I have decided on making it a tournament!" Netero eagerly pulled down the sheet, displaying the numbers that were on the board. (Y/n) was keen on finding her number, which she finds immediately in the middle. Gon was the very first, right beside Hanzo's number. They would be the first one's up. There was someone familiar going before her, and if.. _that_ person intentionally loses their match, then it's trouble for her.

Well who else would it be other than Seraphina.

Everyone in the room was silent, as they let the chairman speak about the terms of the final phase. One person would lose, but the others can win. (Y/n) was just hoping that she wasn't going to be the one who would lose. The explanation was quick and easy to understand. Within a matter of minutes, the matches began with Gon going against Hanzo.

"Gon," (Y/n) called out to her friend. She took a step forward, shadowing his moves.

The black haired male glanced back at his friend, stopping in his tracks. "Do you need anything, (Y/n)?"

The girl shook her head and smiled. (Y/n) sent him a small thumbs up, saying "Good luck out there."

Gon nodded his head, returning the friendly gesture. "Thanks."

After that, the match between Gon and Hanzo had began. At first things looked like they were going easy but eventually things started to escalate at a fast rate. Even if Hanzo and Gon might be around the same age, the ninja clearly overpowered the other male. It became increasingly hard to watch the match, especially with (Y/n). She takes in a gasp when she watches Gon fall to the ground with Hanzo towering over his body. 

"Shouldn't we...do something about that?" (Y/n) murmured. Killua's icy blues stare at the girl's (e/c) eyes. There was a hint of worry in them. He understood why she was worried, but he didn't really care about it as much. Sure..it sucks to watch someone familiar get beat up in front of you but if you can't do anything then you can't do anything.

"We can't," Killua answered to her question, "Even if you're worried about Gon, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Whatever you say."

Even if (Y/n) stopped talking, she was still a little antsy. The girl really wanted to do something and her chest ached every time she heard a sickening thump. Her eyes watch Gon carefully, her mouth starts to curse uncontrollably. Her hands were shaking as she continued to watch and eventually she broke enough, making her hide behind Killua. The albino didn't mind her actions. He let her do whatever she wanted, which the female appreciated.

Leorio's booming voice seemed to break the silence among the spectators. Her (e/c) eyes look towards the tall male, finding him huffing and puffing. He seemed angry enough to storm in there. The guards blocked him before they could do anything of course. Forcing herself to come out of Killua's shadow, she scans the scene once more. Gon had recently picked himself up, making (Y/n) smile that he was still fighting. The sight made her worry more though, since he wasn't going to surrender.

Within seconds, the black haired male fell to the floor again, making (Y/n) cringe at the thump. Hanzo's threats arose in the air.

"I'll break your arm," Hanzo spoke. Those words rang in (Y/n)'s ears as she felt her body tense up. The girl's lips pursed together as she looked at her friends Leorio and Kurapika. She finds similar feelings in both their eyes. Anger.

A sickening snap was heard in the room. Her eyes immediately go straight to where the fighting was. There she finds her dear friend, on the floor, with a broken arm.

(E/c) eyes look back to where her friends were at. Now she shares a mutual feeling with them now as she felt a little frustrated about herself. Her frustration wasn't enough to make her tear up but they sure were building up to it. She clenches her fist hard enough that her knuckles turned white.

She wanted to do something. (Y/n) can't just stand here and watch her friend get beat up by someone. Her hands open and close, forming air pellets that occupied the spaces between her fingers, though she shakes them away. She had control of her body again and she was able to think clearly. The frown on (Y/n)'s face grew deeper once she realized something.

She can't do anything about what's going on in front of her.

The girl clenched her teeth as she looked away, trying to get rid of emotions that were welling in her chest.

Calm. That's all she needs right now. She can't be rash. Not when she's so close to obtaining her card.

Hanzo went on ahead to yap about his life. The male boasts about how he was much stronger than him It was clear that Hanzo was indeed _bragging_ about how he was much more capable of doing things. The male circled the boy's body as he continued to show moves. Eventually the bald male was seen keeping himself up with his index finger. There was only one thought in (Y/n)'s mind right now, and it was certainly fueled by her frustration.

_"God what an asshole."_

After Hanzo had finished monologuing, Gon sprang up and kicked the finger that Hanzo kept himself balanced on. Standing on both his feet, Gon gently grabbed his broken arm and pouted. "Jeez..first you break my arm and then you bore me with your monologue?" A short laugh comes from the black haired boy as he shook his head. He could hear cheering from where his friends were at. He gave them a quick glance, finding that his sudden spring into action is what made them smile again. 

"There's only a two year difference between our ages. We're not that much different from each other," Gon spoke, his gaze never left the sight of Hanzo's body, "Even if you talk about skills or anything like that, it won't matter anyway. What really matters is sticking to this fight and getting it over with."

The fallen ninja stood up soon after, dusting his clothes and wiping the blood that dripped down his nose. Hanzo's intense glare combats Gon's determined gaze. The room returns to silence as Hanzo approaches Gon. "I wasn't _advising_ you to stand down, I was _commanding_ you to do so. There's a difference you know." 

Once Hanzo got close enough to Gon, a hidden blade appeared before them. "Maybe I didn't make myself clear earlier. I'm telling you to quit now or you'll lose limbs, kid."

(Y/n) stood still, quietly watching the scene. Her heart was beating fast and her cauldron of emotions were being stirred into an awful cocktail. She doesn't know what to feel right now. She can't do anything about that. Her anger seemed to overpower everything, but this feeling resulted in her eyes welling tears. 

Oh no no..Hanzo can't do that to Gon. She'll do anything in her power to get Gon out of this situation, even if she takes away her only chance of getting the license this year. Taking another step forward, (Y/n) glares at the ninja that kept the blade close to him. A hand reaches out to her, pulling her back before she could take another step.

"No. Don't," Kurapika whispered to her. Though she was disheartened by the sight and she _really_ wants to do something about it, she can't. She has to..follow Kurapika's command. She knew that it was for the better. 

"How about I go for your leg?" Hanzo asked Gon, his blade pointed towards the younger male's leg.

The black haired boy shook his head, his hand still holding his broken arm. "That's gonna be a problem because I also don't wanna lose a leg."

Gon's response ticked off Hanzo to the point where he placed the tip of the blade to the boy's forehead. The boy's group of friends tensed up at the sight, but one was nonchalant about it. (Y/n) seemed the most tense as her eyes were wide and she was hugging herself for comfort.

"You're stubborn, aren't you," The bald ninja spoke, adding pressure to Gon's head. Blood drips from where the tip of his blade was pressed against. The red liquid runs down Gon's forehead, but he didn't seemed fazed about it. If anything..he looked a little more serious than before. 

"I have a perfectly good reason to be stubborn, mister."

"And what is that reason, kid? What makes you so _stubborn_." 

A hush fell on the room as everyone watched with curiosity. They all waited for a response from Gon.

"I want to see my father. I'm stopping at nothing to get what I want the most." Gon's tone sounded quite serious..perhaps he really was. He was surely determined to meet his goal and what he says is true. He would do anything to find his dad again. "If I stop here now, I know I'm gonna lose hope on finding him again. So really..you've given me no other choice."

"Are you certain that you _really_ want that? Even if you'd die here and now?" 

Hanzo stared at the black haired boy, finding a strong sense of determination. He kept his gaze on him for a while, waiting for the slightest response. Eventually the male decided that he wouldn't get one from him. The ninja brings his blade back in his arm and starts to walk away. Everyone stares in awe as Hanzo calls it quits. Gon should have been celebrating.

But he wasn't.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?! You can't just call it quits now!" Gon limps towards Hanzo, "Let's fight fair! I'll give you a fair fight, Hanzo!"

(Y/n) stared at Gon and then turned her head to look at her friends, finding that they're also dumbfounded. "He's got to be joking right?" The girl pointed at Gon, who was now bickering with Hanzo. 

A sigh leaves Kurapika as he shakes his head. A smile decorates his pale face as he kept his dark grey eyes on the stubborn boy, "I don't think so. He looks very serious about it."

Hanzo and Gon's argument seemed to stop after a while. It ended with Gon receiving a quick uppercut from Hanzo, causing him to finally lose consciousness. 

"Well so much for that," (Y/n) sighed, "I think I got more white hairs watching that whole match."

"Geez..tell me about it," Leorio grumbled.

The remaining applicants watched Gon get wheeled away on a stretcher. He was probably going to rest in one of the rooms in the hotel or..he might go to the infirmary. Either one works anyway. After the short scene, the matches resumed. The teen couldn't care about the matches but they were sure interesting. Kurapika's match with Hisoka was certainly something else. They seemed to have exchanged words to each other before the clown surrendered. Whatever it was..it sure did shock Kurapika.

Eventually the matches led up to (Y/n) and Seraphina's match. The white haired woman stepped on to the small arena, a smile decorating her face. The aura the woman emitted was quite strong, but (Y/n) knew better than let that get to her. A hum comes from the female teen as she readies herself for battle. Seraphina takes quick steps forward, finding herself in a position where she's standing directly in front of the teen. 

"Would you like to know who wins, (Y/n)?" Seraphina asked. The woman's single white eye begins to glow, which prompted (Y/n) to use gyo. The girl's aura is applied to her eyes with ease, letting her see whatever it is that makes Seraphina's white orb glow. 

Well that's strange..there doesn't appear to be anything there. 

So why is it glowing?

"You never answered my question," the black clothed lady hummed, her smile growing, "I'll ask again. Would you like to know who will win?"

The teen's (e/c) eyes harshly glare at the woman, a frown now decorating her (s/c) features. "Whatever gets you away from me."

"I suppose that's a yes," Seraphina giggled. Leaning closer to the younger girl, she finds her way to (Y/n)'s ear. "You'll get your answer in the count of three."

(Y/n) took a step back, not because she was scared or anything, but because she wanted a couple of inches away from this woman. This woman seemed to have a _habit_ of invading personal space. A huff leaves the teen as she shakes her head, her hands dance around to form an invisible shield.

The girl braced herself for impact. She had to expect the unexpected. She counted from three down to one. Within the last second, Seraphina can be seen raising her right palm. A soft grin, filled with a hint of mischievousness, was placed on the one eyed woman's pale face.

"I surrender. Give the girl her win and we'll be off."

Seraphina let her hand fall limp beside her as they were both dismissed. The smile never left her face. It taunted (Y/n) mostly, but it never held malicious intent. Well..not yet, she supposed. (Y/n) stood there for a moment, letting her nen dissipate. The girl tries calming herself, trying her best to not let Seraphina get to her head.

Sending a glare towards the white haired woman, the teen walked to where she usually stood at. (Y/n) messes with the straps of her backpack as she mumbled words to herself.

The girl could feel a nudge coming from her right side. (E/c) eyes look up to find a familiar pair of blues. 

Killua.

"Your match lasted around like..10 minutes. That's shorter than Kurapika's match."

"Oh..it's that short? I didn't know that."

Killua shoved his hands in his pockets as he watched another pair take their place in the arena. Seraphina stood there, proudly, waiting for her opponent to appear before her. 

"Did you think she intentionally let Hanzo win so she could get to you?" Killua asked out of the blue, his eyes watching the fight begin. 

"I dunno what's up with her. I think she might have..something like that," (Y/n) mumbled, "Let's not talk about her right now. She's weird..I don't like her that much anyway."

"Whatever you say."

The match between Seraphina and Pokkle seemed a little unfair. Seraphina looked like she had the upper hand, and she kept her act going, asking the other if they wanted to know who would win. Her nen must be tied to that idea. That woman must be a specialist. Seraphina didn't fit in any of the other categories that were normal, being a specialist was the only answer.

(Y/n) watched closely, finding that Seraphina was quick to move after Pokkle said yes to her question. Within a flash, the archer was on the floor, face down, pinned by the white haired woman. Her foot stomps on the shorter male's back, making (Y/n) cringe. That's what would happen to her if the lady actually decided to attack. The teen grimaces as she watches the archer admit defeat again, giving Seraphina the win that she intended to get.

The older woman's single white eye flashed (Y/n) a look. A smile decorates her pale features before she disappears in the crowd, leaving Pokkle on the floor. The girl was a little disturbed, yes, but she knew she can't worry about it much anymore.

The battle that followed the last was between Killua and Pokkle. It was a quick win for the archer as Killua immediately surrendered upon setting foot on the arena tiles. The reason to why is unknown to the other three but (Y/n) can assume that he wanted to fight the next person up.

Who might it be? Well it's none other than Gittarakur of course. 

The applicants were called over to the middle of the room and immediately (Y/n) could feel the heavy aura that pinhead spewed out of his body. The girl shivers with slight fear. She looks away, trying to avoid ever looking at such a person. God..something was wrong, (Y/n) could definitely feel it, but she doesn't _know_ what.

"Ah..Killua..there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," Gittarakur spoke, his tone casual. The atmosphere in the room certainly changed with pinhead talked to Killua. The taller male grabbed one of the pins stuck to his head and plucked it out like a thorn. His appearance changes to show a male, perhaps around his early to mid 20's, standing in place of Gittarakur. The mysterious male had dead fish eyes that sat on his pale face. Long, flowing black hair ran down his head. He had a slender form, somewhat similar to his previous state. 

"Killua looks a little tense..don't you guys think?" Leorio whispered to his younger friends, his finger pointing at the albino. 

(Y/n) nodded her head, "Yeah..I think they know each other."

"By the looks of it..they're probably siblings..or relatives at least," Kurapika mused. The blonde crossed his arms, waiting for more words to come out of Killua's mouth. But nothing was heard from him..until a couple of seconds passed by.

"What do you want, Illumi."

"Not even a sign of respect?" Illumi muttered, his face monotone as usual, "I'm proud you're learning, but, you know you should still call me _big brother_. It's only right, Killua."

" _What_ do you want, _Illumi,_ " the albino snapped, his arms crossing on his chest. A feeling appeared in his chest, though it's quite small. That particular feeling wasn't strong enough to mess with how he looks right now. Killua knows for certain that he didn't want to be here anymore, but he can't just surrender. He..he wants to do something. The boy knows what his brother is going to do to him after he surrenders. He's gonna be sent straight home. Killua doesn't wanna be sent home.

"You know I heard you stabbed Mom and Milluki."

"Yeah that's right."

"Mom's was in tears, you know," Illumi spoke.

Leorio could be heard mumbling words to himself while the other two kept quiet. Kurapika had no intention to break the silence, and (Y/n) was thinking to herself. Mostly her thoughts were concerned about Killua. She remembered what they talked about, what he would do if someone found him here. 

He would run.

But why wasn't he running?

"She was so happy, Killua," Illumi continued after being met with silence, "She said you gained so much skill. Mom is concerned about you, you know. She said to look out for you whenever I had the chance. I must be lucky to find you here, Kil. I'm here to get a license for an upcoming job, Kil. What are you doing here?"

Killua wore a frown on his face, trying to hide the hidden fear that nestled itself in his chest. He really _really_ doesn't want to see his brother right now. The boy puts on a tough guy look, saying "I'm just here for fun. I have no reason to be here other than to see if this test was really as hard as they make it to be. it's easy...super easy."

A hum leaves Illumi as he got a little closer to his little brother. It was close enough that Killua was within arms reach, but Illumi never dared to touch him. Not yet anyway. "That's good. I have a perfectly good reason to tell you something then." There was a shift in Illumi's tone that seemed strange. The shift was evident in his aura, as it felt much more menacing than before. 

"You can't become a good hunter, Kil, because you know you're not raised like that. You're destined to be an assassin. Dad and I raised you to be the greatest assassin, yet here you are, wasting so much time just for a stupid exam. Tell me, did you find any joy participating in such an _easy_ exam?"

"I did."

"You're not supposed to, Kil. Tell me this, do you know the reason to why you're feeling joy?"

Killua took a step back as he noticed his brother inching forward to his position. He gulps in his feelings, his eyes glancing quickly at (Y/n). He finds her staring at him. It was clear in her gaze that she was worried, and he was too, but it was only a fraction compared to hers. His icy blues look up to his brother's black, soulless eyes.

"B-Because-" Killua stuttered out. He couldn't find the courage to continue his sentence as he felt paralyzed in his place. The male couldn't move, even if he tried budging his limbs. Nothing. He was stuck standing still with his eyes looking up at his heartless brother.

"Because what, Kil? Tell me."

"Because I finally have friends, okay?!" the alibino started to break down, but he didn't spill tears, nor did he look away from his brother. His mouth continued to move. It continued to spill more words.

"Gon..and (Y/n)! They're- They're my friends damn it! I feel happy whenever I'm around them!"

"Oh...Kil.." Illumi murmured, "You know how impossible it is for an assassin to have friends, you know. You're _incapable_ of having friend's kill. Did they put that sort of thinking in your mind? I think we can fix that mindset of yours, hmm?" From the tall male's hand, three needles appeared in the spaces in between his fingers.

"Hey! You can't do that! Killua! Listen to me!" (Y/n) cried to her friend, waving her hands, trying to get his attention. "You cant listen to him! You _can_ have friends! We're already friends damn it!" 

Nothing. Killua wasn't moving at all. 

"Listen to me!"

"I think you shouldn't Kil. What she says is poisonous to your mind. I say we fix this situation, hm?" Illumi pulled his gaze away from the sight of his brother and on to where the girl was. His glare was intense as his black eyes connected with (e/c) hues. (Y/n) could be seen cowering away, Kurapika and Leorio walling her in. Others joined them, Seraphina included, for some reason. 

"I know where she's hiding, Kil. Don't you think it's the right time to silence her?" Illumi started to drift off from where he was standing, trying to find the female that his little brother considered his _friend_. His eyes spot a crowd of people that barricaded (Y/n). A wall? How interesting. 

Illumi was stopped by a guard, who belonged to the hunter associations. That man's futile attempts of trying to steer the battle in the right direction caused him pain. Needles were punctured on that suited man's face, his features start to melt due to the nen infused needles. Why must there be so much trouble killing a girl? There was a mess now and Illumi didn't even intend to make this much damage. The tall, menacing male stood in front of the group that protected such a troublesome girl.

"Ah..a thought just appeared in my mind," Illumi spoke, his black eyes stared at the chairman, "Is there a rule on killing another person after the exam?"

Netero looked at the curious fellow and shook his head, "No there's none."

"Very well then. Kil," Illumi called out to his little brother, a menacing smile decorating his features, "You have options, I'm sure you're aware of what they are. If not, then I'll gladly tell you." The tall, slender male drifted back to where his younger brother was. Killua didn't seem like himself. He wasn't really himself. The fear in his chest grew, his heart beat was now wilder than before. 

"You can fight me, Kil. There can be two outcomes to that. If I win, you'll go home. You won't have to worry about your _friends_. If you do manage to win, which I _highly_ doubt, I'll just hunt down your friends later. So..what will it be Kil?"

Everyone was silent again. They all waited for some sort of response from Killua. Growing impatient, Illumi stared at his brother, letting his mouth move once more. "I'll help you decide faster. Do you remember what I taught you back at home?"

Killua didn't respond, as the boy kept his head down.

"I'll answer for you then. You should remember you know. _Never go against a superior opponent._ I'm sure that's enough to jog your memory," Illumi spoke, his voice still monotone. "Now..shall we get started? If you move, then we'll start fighting. If my arm touches you, we'll start fighting. The terms are simple, Kil. You can only have one choice and either way you know both of them will die."

The tall, slender assassin starts to move in closer to his little brother. Every step he took made it seem like he was floating, but Illumi wasn't really. His arm got closer to Killua and when it was just a millimeter left of space between his fingers and Killua's head, his little brother seemed to break.

"Fine. You win. I surrender, Illumi." 

(Y/n)'s eyes widen as hears words come from Killua's mouth. She pushed her friends aside, revealing herself to the crowd. Illumi spared her a glance, a sinister smile decorating his face. "Y-...You bastard," (Y/n) gasped quietly. Her insult was clearly directed to Illumi.

"I'm glad that you've come to your senses Kil. There's no need for us to fight then," the tall slender male spared his grin to his brother, "as for your _friends_ , I never really planned on killing them. It was all a test to see if you were truly ready to fight me. I'm glad to see that you're not as rebellious as I thought you would be." Illumi left his post, disappearing within the crowd. Killua never left his position, which worried (Y/n).

"Killua!" the girl cried, waving her arms around, trying to grab his attention. "You good?! Hello! Hey! Answer me at least! Give me a damn sign!" 

Despite her efforts to get his attention, it seemed that the albino was too emotionally strained to respond to anything. The final match was with Bodoro and Killua, and unfortunately it was super uneven. The older man wasn't able to properly ready himself. Within the next seconds, Bodoro was one the floor bleeding and his heart rested on Killua's hand. Immediately after, Killua was disqualified and everyone else had gotten their hunter license.

(Y/n) took a step forward, her legs ready to sprint so that she could hug him. She was held back by Kurapika and Leorio however, which prompted her to lose all hope on comforting her friend. After a while, the girl's mind starts to numb as she broke down as well. 

Once again her brain tells her that she couldn't do anything right. It told her that it was all her fault that the exam ended like this.

The remaining hours were spent moping around. (Y/n) had to attended the closing ceremony, but she wasn't at all motivated to leave her room. The girl felt empty..she can't even properly feel the joy she expected to get during the event. She may have gotten what she wanted but she lost a person she considered a close friend. The girl spent her time sulking on her chair though she tried her best not to show it. 

What caught her attention was Gon appearing in the room, infuriated. He didn't spare anyone a glance. Instead, he was keen on asking Illumi questions. (Y/n) watched closely. The sight of another close friend cleared up the thoughts in her mind. She felt better knowing that he was okay.

"You kidnapped him."

"What make you say that I kidnapped my own brother?"

Words filled the air as the chairman address that they were going to speak about that topic. The discussion went on a little longer and eventually it was wrapped up. The results? (Y/n) didn't hear. Her attention wasn't set on talking about it. She closed herself out of the conversation to avoid falling deeper to despair. No one was able to keep her out of her thoughts, as Kurapika and Leorio sat in chairs far away from her.

She only ever moved when she felt someone move her. The girl's body jolts forward as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Her body jumps back, her movements almost making her fall. (Y/n)'s eyes stare up at Gon's comforting auburn eyes. Smiles were exchanged as the boy lent a hand to her. The (h/c) haired girl didn't hesitate to take it.

"Let's go find Killua. I'm sure he's waiting for us."

"Yeah..let's."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I'm stopping at nothing! I want to see him again! " 

Upon the request of both (Y/n) and Gon, and a little research on Killua's background, the group of four found themselves sitting in a tour bus that led them to Kukuroo Mountain. Kurapika and Leorio sat in a chair in front of them. (Y/n) sat beside Gon, her head resting against the glass window. Her hands rested on her back as she held it close to her like a teddy bear. She wasn't gonna lie..she felt a little empty. She couldn't stop thinking about how she couldn't _help_ Killua. Even if her friends said to her that it was okay, that she didn't have a choice but watch him leave, she felt a little guilty. 

She's grown fond of him, honestly, despite how weird he acted around her. You could say that they almost respected each other, like they're close friends at his point.

The forest that surrounded the road felt a little grim. It was fitting for Killua's family. They were a family of assassins, of course they have to have some form of scenery that matched their occupation. It was a little threatening, even, at how dark the gaps in between the trees were. The shade that the leaves provided must have really shielded the sun. 

The sight of a giant, towering mountain appeared in her view. The girl felt some energy spring up in her chest as she shifted her gaze to look at Gon, who looks like he was sleeping. Lightly nudging her friend, she waited for the male to wake up. Seconds pass by and...nothing happened. Feeling that a jab would do, she elbows Gon's arm harder, causing him to spring up. 

A groan leaves the boy as he looked at his female companion, a frown decorating his face. He rubbed his eyes as a yawn comes from him. "Why did you wake me up for? I was getting to the good part of my dream," Gon whined as he tried to shake away his drowsiness. His hands later rested on his lap as he looked to where (Y/n) was looking at. Well at least there was a good reason to why she woke him up.

"Should we tell Kurapika and Leorio?"

"I'm pretty sure they can see."

The bus neared the mountain, making (Y/n) a little antsy in her seat. She can't just wait around anymore. She was ready to see Killua again and have him back in their group! It feels a little incomplete without him. Though..she can probably wait around a little more. She doubts that they'll have easy access to get in the Zoldyck estate. They probably only let family members inside, or potential contractors. The girl slumps in her seat, letting her head rest against the window.

She waits.. and waits..until the bus comes to a stop. 

As it was part of the tour, everyone inside was prompted to stand up to enjoy the view. It appears they have stopped in front of a giant, towering gate. Beside it stood a small security building. Well at least they are _well protected,_ even if the family could fend for themselves. It's probably there to keep tourists out of the house. 

Everyone inside the bus walked outside. (Y/n) was the first one in the group who got out of the small space, followed by Kurapika, Gon, and finally Leorio. There the four stood in front of the giant gate that kept them away from the Zoldyck estate. The tourists around snapped pictures and talked to themselves. The tour guide continued to yap her mouth, spilling out trivia that everyone found interesting. 

"That's...a heavy lookin gate," Leorio whispered to himself, "Heavy security huh?"

The group of four paid no attention to what the lady said, instead they were all focused on trying to figure out they would get in the closed off area. (Y/n) takes a step forward, then another, letting herself walk closer to the gate. Her friends followed her, causing the tour guide to shift her attention to them. 

"Hey! You're a little too close to the gate over there! Come back here!" The woman waved her hands, calling over the teens. Oh she has their attention alright, but it looks like none of them cared. The one that acknowledged her presence merely gave her a nod before they talked among themselves. The sight pissed off the woman, knowing that stray tourists might be a cut from her paycheck, but if they wanted to die then she'll let them die! 

Muttering words to herself, the tour guide continued to tell more about the Zoldyck's history, stating more of their occupation and how no one other than the family has been able to get inside. She spoke of those who attempted it led to their death. Of course, she was saying this to call out to the four, perhaps scaring them to go back to where they were at. 

Unfortunately..none of her attempts worked.

In fact, the things she said made two other men walk out of the crowd with weapons in their hands. The two gruff men looked towards the tour guide with a smirk planted on their face. 

"Move out of the way. We have business to do," One of the men spoke. Fearing for her life, the tour guide did let them pass. They walked straight to where the four friends stood, all of them contemplating on how to get inside. There the two men stopped, expecting that they would move. 

But they didn't.

"Move," a male spoke, his hands now how tightly holding on to the bat. As he waited, he played around with his weapon in a threatening matter. By the looks of it, none of these people felt intimidated. Instead, they all looked him. One in particular even gave him a glare before she turned around again. 

"Walk around. I'm sure you guys can do that. I'm a little busy here." (Y/n) spoke, her eyes connecting with the towering gate once more. 

"I ain't asking again missy," the stranger spoke, causing the girl to groan. She got a little pissed off by the small _nickname_ that the male gave her. 

"Geez..it's just a couple of steps," the girl sighed, moving to the side. Her eyes pierce the stranger's gaze, glaring at them. She was in deep thought! How dare they mess with her! Well..it's better if she did move. If she managed to get herself in another fight before getting to Killua then she might have a problem.

"Hey if you guys are just gonna stand there then so be it! We're all leaving!" the tour guide called over to the two groups. In a hurry, she ushered people away and back on to the bus. The bunch of four stared as the bus rolled away, leaving them here. Well that's not a problem. They weren't leaving until they get Killua back anyway. (Y/n) shrugged her shoulders as she looked at Gon, then to her other friends. 

"We're all staying here till we get Killua right?" she asked. 

"You bet! We're not leaving here till we get him back!" Gon smiled at his friends before they shifted their attention somewhere else.

(Y/n)'s careful eyes watched the two men as they walked off to where the guard was staying at. Curious, the girl walked a little closer, close enough so that she could actually hear. She expected her friends to follow her there. There the young female stood, her hands lightly gripping on the straps of her backpack as she listened. A yelp comes from her as she sees a door getting torn out of the wall. She jumps back a bit, distancing herself away from these males. Her glares pierced them again, but none of them looked like they cared. 

In fact, they mostly focused on getting to the guard.

The taller, buffer stranger took a hold of the guard, her eyes widening. An instinct told her to help him. She was already pissed off at them earlier for not even stepping around her and now they assault an elderly man! Sure..the guard looked a little closer to his middle age but hey, they can't hurt people like that!

"Oi oi oi, who told you guys you can touch a man like that!" (Y/n) snapped, a frown now on her face. The tense aura that she exudes caused Kurapika and Gon to look at her. Leorio looked a little amused, seeing that the kid was also a hot head like him. The blonde took a hold of the girl's wrist, his head telling her " _No don't do it._ " 

The girl scrunches up her nose, feeling her jump a bit at the pain she felt. Right...a healing, broken nose. A groan leaves her as she looked to Gon for support of her actions. The black haired boy only shook his head, agreeing that she should probably settle down. Despite the fact that he would also want to help the guard out, he didn't want to mess with people that he didn't really see a good reason to fight with. 

(Y/n) grumble to herself as she yanks her hand out of Kurapika's tight grasp. She crossed her arms as she kicked the dirt she stood on. She knew she had to settle down. Taking in a deep breath, the young female managed to calm herself down, only for a moment. 

The wind manipulator looked at the guard, then at the two men. She watched the man get thrown to the ground, which prompted her to run to the poor man's side. She didn't expect Gon to mimic her actions.

"Are you okay?" the two teens said in unison, causing them to look at each other for a moment, before they looked back at the guard.

"Yeah. You should be worried mostly for those guys who are about to meet Mike." The guard kept his gaze at the door that closed itself. Looks like the men walked off inside. 

"Mi...ke?" (Y/n) asked, not really expecting the guard to answer her. Her cautious (e/c) eyes watched the door. Something felt off. Who was this.. _Mike._ Is this Mike even..human? 

The longer she stared at the door, the heavier the tension in the area got. There was a certain..aura to this front gate, and as far as (Y/n) has been feeling, she doesn't like it. No no not one bit. Her body tenses up when she finds the door creaking open and out were two skeletons, both completely picked clean. The bones were covered with clothes, clothes that the men previously wore before they were supposedly attacked by this _Mike_ character. (E/c) eyes grow wide as it glanced down at the guard, who started to pick himself up.

"The master doesn't like it when Mike eats before meals," the old man groaned, "Hey Mike! Don't go blaming me when you gain extra pounds!"

"W...What happened," (Y/n) muttered, sparing Gon a glance. The boy could only shrug his shoulders. He later looked back at his other friends, the ones that were there to support him. They too seem a little disturbed by the skeletons. He could only shrug it off again, worrying mostly for Killua the most. The black haired male looked to the guard, following him to the booth beside the door. The rest shadowed him.

"Is there anywhere else we can go through?" Gon asked the guard, which the guard shook his head. The old man didn't really spare the group a glance, his eyes set on looking ahead of him. This..was certainly a problem.

"I want in," (Y/n) spoke, though she would eventually give up on the idea of finding him when the problem rose in her mind. "Can I at least contact Killua or something? I wanna talk to him. I wanna see that he's okay."

"Are you friends with Master Killua?" the guard, who later revealed his name to be Zebro, spoke. He got his answer when he sees all four nod their head. Seeing that these bunch of kids are so persistent on seeing the young master made the guard give in to their desires. They wanted to see the young master? Does the young master really have friends now? The thought made the older man smile. 

"You know I've been working here for 20 years now and this is the first time I've heard anyone say they're friends with someone in the family," Zebro chuckled, "I didn't think anyone in the family would make friends at all."

The guard brings out more cups for the guests, sharing the tea he had in his small guard house. A hum comes from him as he poured the warm liquid on two cups, not bothering on giving the two younger ones tea. It looks like they didn't need it. Taking a sip from his own cup, he spares the group a glance. 

"Thank you for coming but unfortunately this is as far you'll go," Zebro muttered, taking another sip. He listened to the silence that the group provided, making him smile, "You can't go past the gate. I'm sure you saw how intruders were treated. The one that disposed of the skeletons on the floor was Mike, the Zoldyck family guard dog, Mike."

"That's...a very big guard dog.." (Y/n) muttered.

"I doubt the young master would like to see you four as skeletons," the guard chuckled.

"Is there any way we can go around Mike?" Kurapika asked, folding his arms across his chest, "You do have a key to the gate, right?"

Zebro nodded his head before he sipped on his tea. "Well that key is a dupe. It's fake. It's for the intruders only. The door you saw the men got through was just a _service door_. Mike does the work for me, I just clean up after him!" A heart laugh left the older male, "There's only one way you can go through the doors, however." The guard stands up, leaving his post. The four teens followed soon after.

"So..you're meaning to tell me that we just have to push these doors?"

"Yup."

"Well that seems easy." Leorio had a smirk on his face. It shined brightly as he approached the doors. Taking in a deep breath, the male tried to push his way in. Which..he found to be really difficult. A sigh comes from him as he pulls back. He wasn't gonna give up now, was he? With a final attempt in place, the pre-med dropped his head low.

"The first doors are two tons each. The weight doubles with each door," Zebro spoke, smiling at the tall teen, "If you wanna safely get to the young master, you have to go through those doors."

"But..they're so heavy..." (Y/n) whined, a frown decorating her face. 

"We have no other way in."

"Hey...mister...can I have the key?" Gon asked, his hand extending to the old man. The four around him had their eyes wide. What? After what he saw? Doesn't he know? He can't be this dumb..right?

"Sorry kid, you already saw what happened. Can't let that happen again," Zebro shook his head, sighing.

"Then I'm climbing the wall."

"Hey, _idiot_ , didn't you see what happened? You'll still be an intruder!" As much as (Y/n) wanted to see Killua again, she can't risk her life like that. Gon shouldn't too. "Mister Guard, is there anything else we can do to get inside?"

A smile crawls up the guard's face as he look back at his post. He doesn't want to kill a kid that claims he's the young master's friend. Plus, he didn't want to have to clean another body again. "I could call the household and see if you guys can get in. I'll at least ask if you four can speak with Master Killua."

Gon and (Y/n) nodded their heads, their gazes falling on each other and then on the other two behind them. The older teens smiled at them, giving them a short nod. They could stay here for a while, let the two younger ones grab their friend and bail. The teens followed the guard back to the small post, letting Zebro do his work. The guard exchanged words with someone over the phone. Kurapika sighs when he heard the tone shift from the guard. There, a frown sat on the elder's face, making him shake his head.

"They're not receiving guests today," Zebro told the guests, shaking his head, "You might have to see him another time."

"I'm not leaving till I get to see Killua," Gon said, keeping his head high, "Can you call them again. I wanna talk to them."

Oh so persistent! Zebro quickly developed a smile on his face before he dialed the number once more. He then gave the phone to the black haired male, inching farther away once a girl approaches her friend. There she listens in to the call, only hearing a couple of words coming from the phone. Gon argued with the person on the phone, ultimately putting it down after he sees that there's no way to get in properly. The male mutters words to himself before he storms off outside. (Y/n) quickly follows, curious to what he might do. As for the others, they stayed inside, for now that is.

Gon casts his line, flinging it around a couple of times before he manages to catch on to something. Perhaps a branch on a tree. He tugs on the wire, finding that it was suitable for climbing. Despite the fact that he's injured, that won't stop him at all. Using just one hand, he starts ascending up the wall. 

(Y/n) watched as he started stepping on the wall. Her (e/c) widen at the sight as she runs to him, unable to grab him. A frown falls on her face before she calls everyone over to where she was. In a hurry, Kurapika and Leorio rushed out of the guard house, with Zebro walking out slowly. The smile on the elder's face grew. He's certainly grown fond of this boy. 

"Get down from there, dummy!" the (h/c) haired girl called over to her friend, waving her arms around. Finding that he won't budge, she uses her nen to create a soft cushion. Though...it seems rather small. She might have to practice more on her constructs when she goes home. Still..it was good enough to catch him, if he manages to fall. (Y/n) looks up at her friend, worry nestling in her chest. If he falls, then he'll break more bones. 

A hearty laugh comes from Zebro as he shook his head. He looks to the group, finding that they still stared up at the boy. Ah..he should probably do something about that huh? Well..if he gets in trouble, it wont be that bad anyway. Besides, they'll probably stay in his house in the meantime. He'll bring them there, then they'll go through the test gate, then they can get to see the young master. Clearing his throat, the elder managed to yell a shout that caught the boy's attention. "Hey kid! You can get down from there now! I'll bring you four somewhere!" 

Well at least that's something. Gon's ears perked up, making him look down. His eyes sparkled like twinkling stars. After hearing word that the guard would let them inside somewhere, he descended down the ladder. Once he was on the floor, he could feel a swift punch on his not so broken arm, making him grimace. 

"What made you think that climbing the wall was a good idea?" the girl fussed, "You coulda gotten seriously hurt! Plus if you went through that wall that...the big dog could have eaten you too!" 

"Eh..."

"If _you_ got eaten, you won't be able to see Killua!" (Y/n) huffed, crossing her arms, "Geez..you're gonna give me white hairs. You really stress me out sometimes."

"Sorrryyyyy," Gon let out a short laugh, sending her a peace sign. The girl quickly shook her head, getting her thoughts out of her mind. She shouldn't get angry anymore. They found a way in now. A hum comes from her as she approached the guard, finding that he had opened the door. In a hurry to get in before it snaps, the four make their way inside the gate.

The soft howls of the wind fills in the silence as Zebro calls over the guard dog. (Y/n) tugs on the straps of her backpack as she looked around, finding a thick forest. Geez..it would be really easy to get lost here if there was no guide. A hum comes from the girl before she hears footsteps coming their direction. Her body tenses up along with others as they find a giant beast sitting in front of them. The giant _dog_ stands there before it plops down on the floor. It's soft looking coat gets brushed by the gusts.

"If you were to invade the space, you would have been eaten by Mike. You would think that you have a chance but seeing him now, you're having second thoughts," Zebro mused, smiling, "It's better if you got through the gate, as Mike has an order that forbids him to attack anyone who passes through the testing gates."

The teens take the chance to gawk at the beast before them. (Y/n)'s heartbeat increases as she continued to stare at the giant dog. A nervous laugh leaves her, trying her best to smile so that he knows that she was a friendly person. Yes yes! Definitely friendly!

"You thought you could talk to him, didn't you?" Zebro inquired, causing Gon to look at him. Sweat drips down the teen's face as he looked at the middle aged man, later sparing Mike a glance. Those eyes..something tells him that this one wouldn't listen to him, even if he was able to communicate with the beast. Gulping in his nervousness, the black haired male sent the guard a nod. A hearty laugh leaves Zebro as he shook his head.

"You wouldn't be able to. Even if Mike notes the people who are new to him, he always obeys his orders. He would even attack me, if he could, if it were not for the testing gates." Zebro sighed, shaking his head, "Still think that you could handle him?"

Gon shook his head. Of course he wouldn't be able to convince this dog to hear him, even if he tried. "No. Not anymore. Honestly he scares the shit outta me." 

Zebro was quite satisfied with that answer. The guard turns heel, his hand waving to grab the group's attention. They would have to walk where he was staying at, leaving Mike behind. Trailing the balding male, (Y/n) takes another glance at Mike, who was still sitting on the floor. A smile curves up on her lips before she shakes her head. Best..not to think about that dog again. Within seconds, rustling of trees was heard behind them.

Mike had gone back to do his work.

After minutes of walking in the dark, with (Y/n) humming softly to herself, the group of four approached a cozy looking cottage. The girl smiled at the sight of light! Finally! She wouldn't have to depend on the moon for light! Even if she enjoys staying out and admiring the stars, this wasn't like her home. This place felt...dreadful compared to her hometown. Ah..being out here makes her miss that place, that rural area. Shaking her head, the (h/c) haired female dismissed her thoughts as they made their way in the house.

"Hey buddy it's time for your shift," Zebro called over to his coworker. There in the dining area sat a man who looked shorter compared to Leorio. He had an average build, not too thick, not too skinny. There he sat, smoking a cigarette, drinking some tea. He was another guard, working the night shift perhaps. The male introduced himself as Seaquant.

"Zebro normally doesn't bring guests over here. Make yourselves at home," Seaquant greeted the bunch of teens, not even sparing them a smile. 

(Y/n) nodded her head before looking to her friends. There they stood, admiring the small, cozy home. A smile crawls up to her face as she lightly places her bag down on a chair beside her. She tries tugging on the chair, finding that it won't budge. A frown replaces her previous expression as she tugs on the seat with force. Using around..what seemed to be 45% of her strength, the girl was able to pull it towards her. The distance away from the table wasn't..far, but it was enough for her to give space to her small backpack and her.

The girl slumps against the chair, her hands combing through her locks. Her eyes look to where Zebro was, finding that Gon was there too. He..tried pushing the door. 

Shit..even the doors are heavy too?

(Y/n) could only groan at the thought. Best that she get rest and probably sleep for the night. Dinner would be great...unless the plates, cups, and cutlery are heavy too, in which..she might have to eat with her hands. Sure it seemed _unladylike_ but hey, if there's a way around that, she'll obviously use it. 

She could feel a tap on her shoulders. There to her side was Leorio, who looked a little exhausted. He wants her to follow her? Sure. Looks like Zebro was just showing them around the house. The girl stumbles out of her chair, following the males that she hung out with. The more she listened to the middle aged male, the more she realized that..she might get a workout here. 

(Y/n) didn't really _want_ to work out, as she was just fine right now, but hey, she'll do anything to see her white haired friend again. The girl slipped out of her shoes, putting them in a corner somewhere, and put on the 44 pound shoes. She tries to walk in them, almost tripping with the first step. A huff leaves her as she tried again, this time she was able to move. Oh..she'll have to get used to these. 

Zebro smiled at the group, finding their reactions quite laughable. Though he knew that these people would be able to open the testing gates by themselves soon. Maybe training for a month would do well. The old man called the four teens over to the dining table, where Seaquant sat at. (Y/n) had reserved her spot already. The girl grabbed her small backpack, placing it on her lap. At least this one isn't as heavy. Of course it wouldn't be heavy, it was her's after all!

There on the table sat 5 cups of tea. The (h/c) haired female sniffed the air, finding a warm, inviting scent. Ah. Well she should probably take a sip. (Y/n) grabs her cup, finding that she has a hard time doing so _without_ having to use her strength. A frown decorates her face as she rested her head on the table. A soft groan leaves her before she takes in a deep breath. Right! She has to use her strength and power now! She'll get stronger from here on out! She'll get strong enough to see her friend!

"Heavy?" Zebro grinned at the sight of the female, "It weighs 44 pounds."

"No it's not," the girl muttered, "I can lift it just fine." Mumbling words to herself, (Y/n) drags her cup to her, carefully doing so to avoid any spill. The next thing she wants to get is a heavy towel to wipe up her mess. Using some of her nen to aid her, she takes a sip of the warm beverage. Ah..that felt..quite refreshing! Oh maybe she could cheat, seeing as no one really noticed her use nen there. She'll just..have the air give her a boost, like how it usually does whenever she wants to jump up to high places.

"How long will you four be staying here?" Zebro inquired, taking a sip of his tea. 

"We're using travel visas. We can't stay here for long," Kurapika replied. He could be seen trying to lift the cup. It wasn't..that heavy..but there was certainly weight to it.

"A month long trip, I suppose," the guard muttered, taking another drink, "You can stay here and train in this house if you would like." A hum leaves Zebro as a thought appeared in his head. "I suppose you could walk to the estate from here, but I wouldn't if I were you. The road up is risky. You might get lost on the way there," the male mused.

His attention returned back to the four teens he accompanied. He wore a smile on his face. "There's no need to worry. You'll get used to the weight soon. You all are young..I'm sure that you'll be strong in no time."

A sigh leaves (Y/n) as she takes another drink of her tea, finding the warm liquid comforting. A hum comes from her mouth as she sent a smile to her friends. They all looked at each other and nodded. They all decided that they should stay for the month to get stronger. 

"Even if we don't like tests.." Kurapika muttered, "There's no other way around it."

"It's only fair if we do it," Gon's words followed the blonde's.

"I'm sure we can get strong in no time!" Leorio chimed in, smiling.

"Then lets do it!" (Y/n) cheered, "Let's all train to get stronger!"

Zebro smiled at their enthusiasm. It was odd for him, knowing that the young master would have never attempted making friends. Looks like something really did click with them huh? A chuckle springs from the eldest man in the room as he took another sip. He's quite proud of Master Killua, even if they haven't had the chance to talk to each other or properly get close enough. At least in this household, someone's getting along quite well with the outside world.

The guard stood up to retrieve something in the backroom, leaving the teens to themselves. He could hear chatter behind him. They must be filling time, getting comfortable with their surroundings. A cheerful hum leaves Zebro as he got out four plated vests. Surely they would like to start tomorrow, or maybe today. As soon as possible is the best really. Entering the dining hall once more, the middle aged man placed the vests down on the table, careful to not spill or tip over any cups.

"You'll be wearing these all the time except for bed. These weigh 110 pounds! It'll gradually get heavier as time goes on."

"E-Eh?" (Y/n) mumbled out, "110 pounds?" Oh dear that doesn't sound good. That sounded..really heavy. Ah! No matter. She shouldn't worry about that! She could probably lift that with ease! Or something. The girl doesn't really remember when she was able to lift something heavy, hell..she doesn't even remember the heavies thing that she lifted. She was sure that she has, at some point during her nen training. It helped with developing nen that could support weight heavier than her. 

There the girl stood, thinking about it. A smile creeps up on her face as she remembers! Right! It was a car that she tried lifting up! That would have been near the thousands right? In pounds that is. She only got it lifted up around..her waist. But hey! At least she did that with her nen. She could..most definitely cheat with this. It gradually gets heavier right? With her? Not anymore!

Well it _wont_ if she's able to actually apply her nen under the vest at all times, which can be exhausting to deal with sometimes. 

Zebro gave the four their own vests. Watching them putting it on made a smile appear on their face. Starting tonight, they training begins! Surely it wouldn't take that long! Soon they'll be able to push that door just by themselves!

It only took two weeks till one of them opened the door. There (Y/n) stood with her friends, watching Leorio push open the door. Gon jumps up, his arms waving up in the air. Kurapika and (Y/n) could only smile at such a sight. This was truly an achivement for them! That goes to show that something can be gained within two weeks! The girl stood there, her nen dispersing under her vest. She wouldn't need it anymore, as the training did help her. She can probably push or carry more now! Definitely a good thing!

"Yay! We can go through now!" the (h/c) haired female cheered, mimicking Gon's actions. Giggles spring up from the girl as she approached the tallest male in the bunch. She jumps up to give him a high five before she approaches the door herself. She wants to test if she could push the door by herself, without using her nen. She was certain that she did gain some strength while staying in the cottage for two weeks!

(Y/n) stood in front of the door, rubbing her hands together. Right..no nen this time! If she can't push it without her nen, she'll just have to do _something_. Totally..not cheating. Pressing her palms against the cold surface of the doors, the girl pushes with all her might. She finds the door opening, making her stumble forward. Before the door closes in on her, she falls backward. A giggle leaves her mouth as she picks herself up.

"I did it!" the girl yelped, jumping up in the air, "I really opened the door!"

A question rose in her mind now that she sees how far her strength went. If she were to use her nen..would she be able multiple doors at once? Knowing herself, probably not, but hey! She wants to give it a try at least. Running back to the door, she gives a glance at her friends, smiling. They should know that she wants to try something, seeing how she ran back. Rubbing her palms together, she brings air against her hands. That would be able to give herself a much stronger push. 

Taking in a deep breath, (Y/n) stares at the door that was stopping her just a few days ago. With a smile, she pressed and pushed against it. Astonishgly she was able to push the first door with ease. She blew it open of course! The thing that caught Zebro's eyes was the upper gate. The third gate. It moved, just about half way. Before it could fully open, the girl falls back on her bottom. Weird..how she could do that. Something is definitely up.

She must be a nen user.

Definitely not an enhancer, he's certain.

A hum comes from the middle aged man as he spared the three a glance. They were all clapping and cheering for her. The one in green was the loudest out of all of them. He watched the girl run back to where her friends were at, her hands grabbing the backpack that she had managed to drop on the floor. There Zebro stood, glancing at the group of four. Certainly they were worthy of the young master's friendship. Surely they had good intentions. 

"How'd you do that?" Leorio asked among all the claps and encouragement they said to each other. Do what exactly? By that he meant the third door. 

"I used nen of course!" (Y/n) stuck her tongue out, her hands playing around with something. None of them could see, but they could feel it when she drifts it off to their face. They would never get a clue! They wouldn't know that she's a transmuter, though some could say she's a manipulator. Either one works at this point. 

"Oh..your _magic_ ," the pre-med muttered, "Keep forgetting that you're like..that."

"How many times do I gotta say it's not magic!" (Y/n) fussed, shaking her head, "You just gotta..train for it! I'm not saying anything else about it!" the girl stuck her tongue out again, before she giggles. It was the others turn, now that she and Leorio went. There the two sat back with their vests off, watching the others have a try. In the end, everyone passed their test! 

Zebro took the vests from the group, smiling at them. What an astonishing group. Never in his 20 years of working under the Zoldycks, has he seen people actually..be able to undergo training within 20 days and manage to push the first door. Hell..two of them managed to push through more than one gate. They should know that they have his respect. 

"Thank you for your help Zebro, Seaquant! You've all been great!" Gon spoke cheerfully, a smile seen on his face. The old male could laugh it off, bashful for the thanks. Seaquant only returned a grin and a nod. Later, the balding guard took the four outside so that he could show them the way. A hum comes from him as he looked at the bunch. "Take this road up. It leads to the mansion, but you have to pass another house on the path."

A nod comes from the teens as they all looked each other. Two of them were quite giddy about it, as they were excited to see their friend again. Kurapika and Leorio certainly saw Killua as their friend, but they're not as close to him as these two were. Walking up the path, Gon was seen looking back again. There, he wore a smile as he waved a goodbye to the guards again. 

They won't know what's in store for them, they won't ever suspect that there's anything else stopping them. The four knew that they were headed in the right direction however, surely on their way to meet a familiar face. 

The quartet walked for long hours. Each step felt light to them. Perhaps that was something those 44 pound slippers did. The sun was starting to set in the background, but they didn't worry. They approached a wall that had the same height a fence. In the middle of the path, blocking the way, stood a woman, perhaps around their age.

With a piercing gaze, she spoke, "Cross the line and you'll suffer the consequences."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Do you ever consider how your actions affect other people? " 

A tall figure stood in front of the gate, a line drawn in front of her. There the teen stood, her curls move along with the wind that passed by. This..particular female had a piercing gaze, something that combated (Y/n)'s determined gaze. She too was serious about her work, and she was keen on keeping the four away from the young master.

"What are you gonna do?" (Y/n) asked, her eyes watching the female in front of her. Nothing left the girl's lips as she continued to stare at the bunch. A hum leaves the nen user as she looked to her friends. 

"What do we do about her?" the girl asked, her (e/c) eyes connecting with Kurapika's pair, then at Leorio's. The two shrugged, to her dismay. A sigh left her lips as she shook her head. Just on the corner of her eyes, she saw Gon take a step forward, possibly to confront this person. 

It was obvious that he too was serious about his wants, and he won't stop at anything to get it. Taking a step forward, (Y/n) trails Gon, though she kept her distance. She doesn't know what the suited lady could do to her when she stepped over the line. 

"Do you mind moving?" Gon spoke to the butler, his hands waving in front of her, "We're here to see Killua and this is the only way up to the house. We're his friends by the way."

Canary's glare grew fiercer as she looked at the boy that was around her age. They said they were Master Killua's friends? A pity. She would let them in but she had orders to follow. She had a job to maintain and she just wasn't going to let a guest slip inside the house. A sigh comes from her lips as she shook her head. 

"You can't."

"And why not?"

"Orders."

Canary was quite the small talker, as literally only around 2 words left her mouth. She had no reason to talk to strangers, even if they stated that they were going to see the young master. She can't let them do it. Orders _were_ orders. A frustrated sigh comes from the girl as she shook her head. There was a look to the boy in front of her, that look. She knows it all too well.

Determination.

For what? Just seeing Killua? 

Looking at the others around the area, they had that same look too. A feeling hit the girl, though she was unsure why she was having it. It was a nuisance, she told her herself that feelings were futile. They had no usefulness to them. Feelings..made her vulnerable. Shaking her head once more, she connects her coffee brown eyes to the auburn pair that the boy in front of her had.

"Leave this place," Canary spoke, "You're not needed here, nor did anyone request you."

"I'm not leaving," Gon spoke to her, taking a step forward, "Not till we get to talk to Killua." Within seconds, the boy felt a quick smack on his face. There a red mark on his cheek copied the shape of the cane that the butler had in her hands. He was pushed back, staggering a bit as felt the stinging sensation on his face. 

The three that stood far behind Gon watched, a familiar feeling of anger boiling in their chests. (Y/n) was most affected by the sight, as she took off stomping. Kurpika and Leorio stood still though it looked like they were getting ready to fight. The girl took it a step further and moved further in.

"Wait-" Gon called out to his friends, sitting up from his position. He lightly rubbed the spot that was hit, finding the stinging worsens over time. It sure..did hurt like hell. With a sigh, he looked up at his friends. "We're not here to fight. I can handle this myself! Trust me on that. You guys can just stand back and I'll do the rest!"

Stand back? After seeing him get hit? The boy recently just healed his arm! She won't let him get hurt a second time! This whole scenario happened before, back in the hunter exam's last phase. (Y/n) stood there, unable to do anything to help her friends. She stood there feeling useless, like she can't do anything. The girl wasn't just going to stomach that feeling just because someone told her to stay back. It tasted terrible in her mouth, it was bitter.

Approaching the boy, she gave him a hand so that he could pull himself up. Her (e/c) eyes connect with the boy's gaze. She watches as he walked away, watching as he approached the butler again. Matching the male's movements, (Y/n) found herself standing beside Gon. The sight of her made his eyes widen for a bit. He stops in his tracks, causing her to do the same. A hum leaves him as he gives her a smile. "You..really wanna help me on this?" He asked, "You don't have to. I can probably..get past her just fine."

"You know she's not gonna break any time soon. So let's just have fun juggling her until she gives up." (Y/n) sent her friend a thumbs up before laughing. She'll take the opportunity to mess around, but she'll have to be careful. She wasn't sure if this woman was a nen user or not. Well by the looks of it, she _might_ not be but..she still has to be cautious. 

Syncing their steps again, Gon and (Y/n) walk to Canary, who clearly looks frustrated by the fact that she has to deal with two people at the same time. Not that she has a difficult time handling groups...it just was a hassle for her. More work has to be put into it. As Canary shook her head, her curls bounced along with her. This was a task that she was given and she will complete it. 

(Y/n) mustered up her nen, forming shields around her arms. She could definitely block the blows from the butler, but she wasn't sure about Gon. His arm _just_ healed up. This was..somewhat unfair. (Y/n) knows about nen but Gon? The boy is clueless to what it is! Unfortunately she can't make a shield for him. That would require large amount of energy and honestly the girl isn't that advanced to make up something like that. 

Once they were in reach, Canary smacks the two with the cane again. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight. They both of them were hit with impact but the girl her age didn't fall down. It just looked like she broke her guard. The boy, however, was on the ground again, his cheek glowing red from the hit. A sigh comes from the butler as she looked at the pair, her eyes trailing up to where the older ones were. They were watching the show, clearly they weren't a problem to her. 

Why can't these two be like them? Canary wasn't sure why they weren't giving up. Looks like Master Killua had some..really good... _friends._

"I.." (Y/n) muttered to herself, finding that she was a couple of meters away from Canary again. Cursing to herself, she shook her head. The barriers that she made around her arms did work, as she was still standing, but they weren't enough to keep her in place. Perhaps she needs more energy around her shields. 

If she could make up more energy. 

A heavy sigh leaves (Y/n)'s throat as she shook her head. Her (e/c) eyes look to where Gon was, finding that he was on the floor.

Again.

Walking to where Gon was, she lent out a hand for him to use so that he could get up. The male grabbed it happily, pulling himself up. The girl stumbled for a bit but she managed to support Gon's weight when she helped him up.

"You..okay?" (Y/n) asked, "You have another mark on your face."

"She really hits hard..I've never been hit this hard." A laugh leaves Gon's throat, a bright smile appearing on his face. "Well I mean..it's not really that bad. I've probably been hit worse than this." Of course he has. A memory appeared in his mind. He remembered that time. It happened when he was just a little kid. He was exploring the island by himself and he managed to get himself in trouble. No need to think about that right now though. They have work to do.

After dusting off the dirt that managed to transfer on to his shorts, Gon started to walk again with (Y/n) shadowing his moves. They repeated their movements, over and over again, though the girl was trying different approaches to Canary. She decided that rushing forward on one side _might_ work but she got hit with the cane. The impact made her fly backward.

Now a stinging sensation was on her cheek and it hurt like hell. Having her guard was better than rushing, though..guarding never really helped her case. The butler never left, nor did she move an inch away from her starting position. She will not move her post, and it was easy to figure that out.

Still the girl tried her best to at least make her move so that the others can slip by. They can go see Killua, they can go bring him back. If she had to hold off Canary, she will!

A string of curses left her lips as she moved her nen's focus around her arms rather than her legs. She can have a shield, she can take the hits, she can keep this act up.

For a couple of more hours, the pair continue their trudges forward. Feeling exhaustion for using her nen and blocking attacks, the girl stops her movement. The other didn't stop with her. Out of curiosity, and due to her worrying about the boy's recklessness, her gaze looks to Gon. Her eyes widen at the sight. There he looked again..beaten up...just like that last phase of the hunter exam.

The sight..it made her want to do something about it but she knows she cant. He was persistent. His approach wasn't at all that different than before. Was he not watching her do different approaches earlier? Surely he could have an idea on how to solve this problem by seeing her futile attempts earlier. The fact that he did the same thing over and over again made (Y/n) frustrated, though she knew she couldn't stay mad at him.

Does he not have another plan in mind?

A sigh leaves (Y/n)'s lips as she stood still. There she watched him walk in the same manner, the same distance, ending up with the _same_ result. Over and over again this happens and it honestly frustrated the girl. She dismisses the air that surrounded her arms and stood there, watching, observing. No matter how much it pained her to witness her friend getting beating with a cane, his repetitiveness is getting on her nerves.

She can't have him beaten to a pulp again.

At the right time, (Y/n) grabs the boy's wrist before he took another step forward. Her (e/c) eyes look to an auburn pair. One eye was already closing up due to the harsh beating. It was swollen. A frown now decorates the girl's face as she glared at her friend. A familiar feeling, worry, embeds itself in her chest as she looked at her friend. She was clearly worried for him but he didn't seem to think about it.

He clearly doesn't know how bad she feels about seeing him like this.

"Can't you do anything else other than walking straight at her?" (Y/n) muttered, her voice sounding desperate. "We've been doing this for hours now. You need...you need to settle down..Just for a moment."

Amidst all the pain that Gon felt, he still managed to spread a smile on his face. Though..it was short lived. A sigh comes from the boy as he coughed lightly. Blood fills his mouth, making him spit it out on the floor. Nothing was broken, at least he thinks nothing is broken. His face was just..filled with marks that the cane decorated on his face. There were some parts swollen. There the boy sat on the floor, wiping the blood off of his mouth. 

"What's the point of stopping? I mean I think I moved her a little. We've done progress. Soon we'll get to see Killua." Gon's auburn eyes look at the butler that stood in his way, finding that the butler was staring at her. There was a hint of..something in her gaze. It wasn't as strong as before. It certainly felt softer. 

"I think she's tired, (Y/n)" Gon muttered, "Maybe she'll move." The male sighed as he stood up, shaking his head. He felt a little tired, he wasn't going to lie. That doesn't mean that he's going to stop though.

"Gon I swear to-" the girl mutters to herself, her eyes watching as he stood up again. Curses spilled her mouth as she took a step forward but..something stopped her. Nothing was holding her back but a feeling was telling her to stop moving. Her body wouldn't obey what her mind commanded. There she stands in place as she kept her gaze on her friend, finding him on the floor again afterwards.

"Stop." Canary finally spoke. The girl had her head down, her eyes leaving the boy's sight to look at the floor she stood on. "You-" The butler's voice stopped itself. Canary felt..things that she never felt before. Drops of sweat ran down her temple as she spared a glance at the two that watched their friend stagger and get beaten.

"You! In the back! Why can't you guys do anything! Get your friend and get out of here!" The butler called out to the teens in the back. She got no response from them. Her eyes spare a glance at the girl that stood a couple of steps behind Gon, their eye connecting for a moment. This one..she doesn't wanna see him like this anymore, but she didn't do anything about it. 

They talked about it earlier, by the looks of what happened earlier, but she just stood there.

Canary's eyes trail back at Gon, her eyes widening. "Stop it. Stop what you're doing." The butler was almost to the point of breaking down. This has been going on for hours now and he won't stop. The sight of his body repeatedly getting beaten by her cane made her break. The thought of Killua...it made her hesitate to move her cane. 

"You've already done enough damage to your body. You need to leave now. Get some medical attention or something," Canary muttered, her hands tightly gripping the cane. She didn't know Killua's friends, in fact she never really expected him to have friends. Seeing as how these people were persistent on meeting him again made the girl's heart ache.

She can't..she doesn't have the heart to kill him. Not when he already proved to be friends with the young master than someone using him. The ones in the back. They've been watching, they've all been staring. They were friends of his too..no? The girl. The one that stood back after a while. She could see it in her eyes. The way she wanted to help but she stopped herself. 

They were all friends with the young master.

Seeing as the butler was vulnerable, Gon took the chance to move forward. "Why do we have to do this.." Gon muttered, "We just wanna see our friend dammit." Staggering with each step, the male punched the wall that was beside the girl. The impact of it made Canary's body jolt up, her eyes widening. Her eyes stare at the boy's foot, and then at wall then at him. 

"I crossed your line. Why haven't you hit me yet?" Gon muttered, standing upright. The eye that was still fully open looked to the butler, finding her shocked expression. The realization must have hit her, or she must have felt guilty. There might be something in her mind that made her stop hitting him.

Canary looks at the boy that stood in front of her, then at the girl around her age, then finally to the ones that stood in the back. The spectators. These..these people were clearly Killua's friends. They said so earlier, they said they wanted to see the young master. These people are the ones she wanted to be.

She wanted to be Killua's friend too.

"You're different than Mike," Gon spoke, his eyes connecting with the butler's pair, "You just hide the fact that you have a soul. When I said something about being friends with Killua, something changed in you."

Canary figured that she must do something about it. She must helped them, even if that meant disobeying her boss' orders. A frown decorates her face and soon tears start to decorate the ends of the girl's eyes. Her head dips low, looking down in shame for what she has done.

"Please.." the girl pleaded, amidst her sobs, "You've got to get him. Please..Killua..you-" Something was thrown at her at a fast speed. It interrupted Canary's pleas. The thing immediately made Canary unconscious. The butler's body fell backward, a puff of dirt and sand react to her impact. Immediately the four ran forward to check up on the girl. A frown decorates (Y/n)'s face as she looked at Canary.

"Something..hit her," the nen user spoke, her eyes squinting at the body. "There..on her temple there's a mark." 

"So it wasn't..the stress I put on her?" Gon asked.

"Clearly not," Leorio muttered. The male placed his briefcase on the floor, his hands immediately go to where the patches were at. He was clearly frustrated at the sight and he did his best to stop the bleeding. Whatever it was, he was hoping it didn't damage her skull. 

"Someone's here..." Kurapika spoke, causing everyone's attention to turn to him and then to where he was looking at. There up the hill stood two figures, one figure was taller than the other. One wore a dress, similar to a ball gown that had a petticoat underneath the skirt. The other had a black kimono. They stared at the ones that surrounded Canary as they descended further down the hill so that they could be properly seen.

"I'm afraid the hired help talked too much. Such a shame..she was doing good at her job," the woman with the ball gown spoke. The one beside her seemed to stay silent, just there to accompany her. "She is just an apprentice with a poor understanding of the family's dynamic. We might have to take care of that later."

A frustrated sigh left the masked woman's mouth as she looked at the bunch. A smile curls her lips as she looked at the curious quartet. This must be the ones that his eldest son spoke of. How adorable, thinking they have a chance to see her son. She could laugh at the thought really, but she can't. Not when she has to act serious around such.. _guests_.

"You must be Gon," the lady spoke, her cyclops like eye mask looks at the black haired boy. She then turns her head to look at the girl that knelt beside him. "And you're (Y/n)." A soft laugh leaves her throat as she shook her head. Her hands clench into fists for a moment before she relaxed them.

"I've heard about you two from Illumi. Kil knows that you're on the premise. He was notified when you four stepped on the property. You could say that he knows you four have been around for weeks now," Kikyo hummed, "Sadly he cannot see you right now. He's unavailable at the moment."

The lady loved looking at the mixed expressions of the two. One was unsatisfied with her answer while the other kept a strong gaze on her face. One seemed to be more..emotional, while the other was still strong willed. Such..fascinating people. Why would her son want to befriend these people?

"While I am here, please allow me to introduce myself," Kikyo mused, "I'm Killua's mother and this here is younger brother, Kalluto." She moved her hand to show the boy that stood beside her. He looked around their age, maybe younger. 

"She's just passed out..nothing major happened on her. Her skull seems to be in good shape. Just..some light bleeding but that's nothing bandages could solve," Leorio spoke to the three in front of him. A sigh of relief leaves Kurapika and (Y/n). Gon gave the pre-med a nod before he returned his attention to Killua's family members. 

(Y/n) would talk to Killua's mother right now but there was an overwhelming about of emotions she felt right now. She just needed time to think about things. For now she'll just help take care of Canary. She'll keep an ear out for whatever Gon and Killua's mom have to say to each other.

"Why aren't we allowed to see Killua, ma'am?" Gon asked, his gaze strong on the woman's single eye.

"He's in solitary confinement. The reason why is simple, really. I'm sure you've heard from Illumi already," Kikyo mused, "If you do not remember or do not _want_ to remember what happened, it's easy to say remind you. Kil attacked me and his brother and then proceeded to run away. He came back wishing to repent for the things he has done."

The girl's eyes widen for a moment before she went to look at Killua's mother. Her stare turns to a glare after she heard what she had to say about Killua. She knows why she ran away. It was the exact same reason why she ran away from her stupid aunt. Feeling the anger overpower her other emotions, she snarls at the older woman.

"Killua would have never came back- you're-"

Unfortunately before (Y/n) could finish her sentence, someone stopped her. Feeling a familiar grip around her wrist, she could tell who it was. Kurapika of course. He's always the one that has to keep her in check. Letting out a huff she shook her head, turning to face away from the woman. The girl mumbled words to herself as she tried to keep herself calm again. Random bursts of anger..they're not great. It leads to irrational decisions and words. Of course she knew the consequences and of course...

She really doesn't care about those said consequences until they really hit her.

Kikyo smirks at the girl, shaking her head afterwards. The emotional one really does bark, but doesn't bite. It honestly humors her, but nonetheless she doesn't like them all. Taking away her son like this. She doubts she'll ever see him again after this. Her poor boy, Killua, out going with strangers. The thought of it makes her bitter, really, so she's humoring them. She wants them to go away, but she can't force it.

Something buzzes the mask on her face, making Kikyo scream. Her outburst causes a scene, making everyone look her way. They all look at her, disturbed. (Y/n) even likes the sight of her in distress, though she won't admit it. The group of four watch as Killua's mother complained to herself. It looks like the woman is throwing a small tantrum, making it a little funny to the girl. The woman runs off storming, but before she goes far, she was stopped by Gon.

"Can you send a word to Killua saying that we'll be staying in the area for 10 more day, please?" Gon looked at the woman, though it was a difficult task. His eye was still swollen so he's practically blind, for now. Kikyo nodded her head, muttering words to herself before she storms off. Her heals dig into the dirt as she hurries down the hill. Finding that her son wasn't there, she stops.

Kalluto stares at the quartet, his eyes glaring at them. His feelings were unknown to the bunch but they acknowledged his presence. They stared at each other before something grabbed the black clothed male's attention. His pink, almost purple, colored eyes look back to where his mother ran off to. She had called him. Of course he had to obey. Kalluto ran off to follow his mother, never sparing the others a glance. The two had fully disappeared from the quartet's eyes.

"She's lying. I've been in Killua's shoes," (Y/n) muttered, her gaze falling on Canary, who was still sleeping on the grass. She pushes away some curls that covered her face, "You know, someone who ran from a place like this would most likely never come back. Killua's capable of handling himself in a world filled with strangers. He most likely never thought about coming back here."

"Well you got that lying part right!" Leorio spoke, "I don't know Killua much but I know he wouldn't have came back here willingly." The pre-med looked to the direction where the woman and her son ran off in, his eyes squinting at the view. "We should follow them. This can be our only chance ya know! We've gotten this far, there's no point in losing them."

Gon looked at his friends, then towards the teen that was unconscious on the floor. His lips arch into a frown as he shook his head, his mouth moving to speak words. "We could, but I don't want to get her in trouble. She's in too much trouble already and I don't want to add to that."

The quartet all look at the girl on the grass, finding that her eyes soon open. They all marvel at the fact that she was back. She was out for a couple of minutes. _Just a couple of minutes._ Canary looks at the four around her, sending them all a soft smile before she shakes her head. She was hit with an immediate headache, which made her flinch.

"Easy there. You got hit in your temple. I was able to patch you up to stop some of the bleeding," Leorio told the girl in a calm manner, giving her a small smile, "You're somewhat lucky that you didn't have a cracked skull or else my expertise on medicine would have been..really useless."

Canary nodded her head before she stood up. She could withstand the pain of a headache. She has had plenty before. This was just another one. A groan leaves the butler as she squinted. Ah..it's almost nighttime. Surely they would want to get to some place safe to stay the night. Sleeping out in the wilderness won't do anyone good, even if they've had experience sleeping outside. A hum comes from the girl as she brought herself up, dusting the suit. 

"Please," Canary muttered, "Come with me. The butlers' quarters are not that far from here. I believe you would like some place warm and safe to stay in. There are guest rooms that you might be able to stay in. There is also a telephone that you can use to maybe call one of the masters. If you manage to contact Master Zeno, you might have some luck there." 

"Wouldn't you get in trouble?" (Y/n) asked as she stood up and dusted her clothes. The girl's loose hair strands flow with the wind. Everyone was silent as they all waited for Canary to speak.

The butler stood there, deep in thought. She was already committed to the thought of helping these people. She can't back down now. Canary shook her head, smiling at the bunch. "Please allow me to do this. Accept this as some sort of apology, please. I want the best for Master Killua too. I do believe you are the best that he's going to get."

The bunch looked at each other before they nodded. Soon they were all walking again. The group share words to each other, conversing with the butler as much as possible. They have to include her in the conversation too, even if she doesn't seem like she wants to. Eventually they got her name in the midst of their conversation. 

"Canary? It's a nice name," (Y/n) smiled, "It reminds me of a bird."

Canary looked back, sharing the same expression as the other girl. "Thank you, you have a nice name too, (Y/n)."

The lights of the butlers' quarters soon come into view. The group quicken their pace so they could get there faster. Even if the nights calmed (Y/n), staying in the darkness in a place like this made her feel uneasy. Maybe it was just the general vibe of the place that gets her. Approaching the giant house, five butlers could be seen standing right in front of the house. The quartet's eyes widen, even Canary joins their shared expression. 

The butlers bowed in front of them. Canary felt that she should join them too. In a hurry, the female butler scurries off to the side to join her coworkers. After a formal greeting, the guests were called inside. The quartet made themselves comfortable on the couch they were led to. They sat in an open area. To the side there was a door and just above them was a balcony, possible connecting from the second floor of the building. 

Tea was set in front of the quartet as they sat comfortable on the couch. (Y/n) didn't hesitate to take a cup. Her hands felt like she was lifting a feather. The training back in the guards' house really made her feel different. Her sudden movements _almost_ made some of the tea spill on her clothes, which would have been a disaster. A sigh comes from the tea as she took a sip, taking in the warm beverage.

Finally..something good to drink. 

Gon disappeared somewhere, probably to get his face properly treated. A hum leaves (Y/n) as she took of her bag and looked through supplies. There was a small box of small white bandages for her. She had a roll once but she knows she put it somewhere. Where? She doesn't remember. That's fine. At least the people here had enough equipment to treat Gon's bumps and bruises. A hum comes from the girl as she saw her friend come back. There were bandages on one side of his face. Lightly nudging him, she gave him a smile.

"I could have patched you up earlier but I had tiny bandages with me," (Y/n) spoke, "Glad you're patched up though. The bumps made your face look ugly."

A laugh leaves Gon as he shook his head, "What? You saying that my face was decent looking before the bumps?"

"Exactly what I was saying."

Snickers left the young teens mouth as they looked at each other. Kurapika and Leorio turned to connect gaze. There was a frown on the blonde's face as he looked at the pre-med's expression. A glare was sent to him, telling him to calm down and just let the kids be kids. A sigh comes from Kurapika as he furrowed his brows, shaking his head. "Let them be. They're just trying to have fun."

"Whattt? I wasn't doing anything."

"You were definitely thinking about something."

"Pfft..as if."

A butler sat on the seat in front of the bunch. He cleared his throat, catching the attention the quartet. A frown was seen on Gotoh's face as he looked at them. The feeling of disgust nestles against his chest but he tried to ignore it. He was supposed to give proper hospitality. He's doing what Kikyo asked him to do.

"We apologize for our behavior in the past," Gotoh spoke, his tone monotone and uninterested in talking to the bunch. "We've just heard word of the lady of the house's request treat you all as official house guests." When the words left his mouth, he could have shuddered if he weren't so in control of his emotions. His gazes pierced the quartet as they grew quiet, their previous volume was completely silenced by him. "Welcome to the butlers' quarters."

"You mean..this isn't the mansion?" Kurapika muttered, his eyes looking at Canary, who stood beside him. The girl could be seen shaking her head, muttering a response to him. The blonde's eyes widen for a moment before he nodded.

"Not even close..huh.." Kurapika mumbled to himself. His steel grey eyes look back at the butler, who looked to be the head of this establishment. 

"We appreciate what you're doing but we're not going to stay here long. We're just here to see Killua and that's all. It would be nice if you brought us up to the mansion," Leorio says, his eyes on the butler. 

"Unfortunately, you cannot go past the butlers' quarters. It won't be necessary to go to the mansion anyway. The young master will arrive shortly."

The news made the two younger teens look at each other and then at the ones the ones that sat on the outer spaces. (Y/n) and Gon clearly had a bright smile on their face. They then look at the butler, who looked the same. There wasn't a hint of joy in his eyes. He clearly was too professional or he just didn't care about how they felt.

"He's coming here! Wow!" Gon beamed, his gaze falling on (Y/n), "You think he's gonna go with us?"

"Obviously! You know he didn't come back here intentionally! This is great news!" The girl squealed. She shifts her eyes to look at Gotoh, who seemed..bored or unimpressed by their presence. 

"He'll be here soon. Please be patient." Gotoh's stare turned into a quick glare, only for a split second. No one would have noticed it. The male pulled out a coin from his pocket, a smile rising on his face. A game..he'll play a game with them. A tricky one in fact. He doubts that anyone would get to win this game. The male pushes his glasses up as he looks at the bunch, a smile curling up his lips.

"Since waiting might be a bit boring for you four, I propose a small game. The rules are quite simple, really, and I can assure you it can be fun." Gotoh reveals the coin that he was hiding in his hand earlier. It was small, tiny, hard to see sometimes. One must have good eyesight if they want to win the game. "You just have to tell me where the coin is. There. Simple and fun. It'll surely make the time pass by."

The quartet all looked at each other before they nodded. 

Seeing that they all agreed to play made the smile on Gotoh's face widen. With a hand, he flicks the coin in the air and quickly catches it. He hummed lightly as he looked at the four. "So where's the coin?"

"Left," the group said together, their fingers pointing at Gotoh's left hand.

"Good. Let me do it a little faster then."

And the butler stood true to his word. This time it was a little faster, but no one found it hard to spot the coin. Yet. 

The group repeated their answer before, saying that it was the left hand. The butler's clapped as Gotoh complemented on their sharp skills. (Y/n) wasn't gonna lie..she did have a hard time seeing where that one was. She might have..somewhat of a hard time with this. Even if she wanted to use her nen to help her, she can't do anything about it. Her nen improves hearing, not sight.

"How about we make it a _little_ faster, hmm?" 

The coin was thrown in the air and within minutes, the butler's hands were going everywhere. The coin lands in one hand but which one? The group was not certain. Leorio mumbled words to himself as he tried to figure out where it was. "Right hand..I think. I dunno..this one was a little tough in my opinion."

Gotoh's stare turns into a glare once more as he looked at Leorio. This man was wrong and therefore he cannot pick again. His smile falls down to a frown as he looked at the bunch. The feeling of disgust seemed to grow the longer he stared at these people. Clearing his throat, he tries to relax himself. "Clearly you're not getting why I'm filling time for you all."

The butler takes in a deep breath as he looked at the bunch. He was boiling with anger, which mixed his disgust for these people. An awful cocktail of horrible feelings. "I'll have you know I've known Master Killua when he was a baby and I care about him. I _care_ about him like he's my own son. Saying all of this would lead you to believe that I allow you taking away the young master, but I do not. I will _never_ approve of you taking the master."

The atmosphere around them grew heavy. Gotoh's stares felt heavy on the bunch, it felt the heaviest when he looked at Gon and (Y/n). The girl combats this stare with a glare. It held the same amount of anger that Gotoh placed on her. Well if he hates her, that doesn't matter. She'll probably never come back to this estate ever again. 

"So which hand do you choose?" Gotoh resumes his game. He cleared his throat as he waited for one of them to respond.

"Left," Kurapika answered.

The butler nods and opens his left hand. On the palm sat a coin, bent and crushed by his strength. He looked to the quartet again. His frown seemed to grow. "The lady spoke of her son leaving. She could barely contain her sorrow. She could barely utter a full word. Her heart was clearly breaking and the obvious answer to why is you four." With a wave of a hand, the butlers around the bunch took out knives and swords. One was placed against Canary's neck.

"New rules. If you answer incorrectly, you're out. If all of you are out, Master Killua will never know that you arrived here earlier than he expected and I will say that you all never came here," Gotoh spat out, "In addition to this, you will speak _when_ I want you to speak. If you utter a word, you _will_ be disqualified."

Gotoh could be seen tossing the new coin in his hand and his hands dancing around quickly. (Y/n) stares at the hands before her, shifting her gaze to look at her friends. "Which hand?" the butler could be heard asking, which made the sweat appear more on their faces. 

"I..I don't know.." Gon muttered.

"Me neither.." (Y/n) spoke, her soft, worried gaze falling on to the boy she sat beside.

"You will answer in three seconds. If you don't answer, her throat will be slit." By her..they were referring to Canary. The female butler stood there, sweat now dripping down her forehead. The thought of Canary dying..oh dear that made things a little worse. 

The four looked at each other then at Gotoh. 

"Left, dammit, I say left!" The pre-med yelled. The other followed after, with Kurapika saying left, and Gon, along with (Y/n) said right. The male opened his right palm, making both Kurapika and Leorio the ones tagged out. The (h/c) haired girl spared a glance at her friends before sending them a smile, as some form of thanks. She then looked at Gon and gave him a nod. 

The next round was up and it was simply too fast for (Y/n) to see. Well if she had supernatural sight she would have seen, but unfortunately she was not blessed with such talent. The girl mutters curses to herself before she shakes her head. She looks at Gon then at Gotoh. "I'll pick right."

"I pick left then," Gon replied afterwards.

A chuckle leaves the butler as he shook his head. "Left was correct. It looks like you're the only one standing hmm?"

(Y/n) looked to Gon, her eyes giving out a small _sorry._ The boy responded with a smile and a nod. He understood that she tried her best, now he's hoping that he won't mess it up for everyone else here. Sitting there and thinking while he stared at Gotoh, an idea pops up in his head. 

"Give me a second. I need to do something," Gon muttered. He shifts his attention to Leorio. "Leorio do you mind giving me your knife?"

The pre-med was hesitant for a moment. He thought about it before he actually handed the kid his knife. Gon pulled off the bandages that covered his eye. With a swift cut, blood ran down his eye. The swelling around it lessened, which made that eye available. (Y/n) and Leorio looked at him in disbelief, but Kurapika didn't seem worried.

Oh that doesn't look safe. 

And he use tape to cover the wound? That simply won't stop the bleeding! Even if it was just a tiny cut, blood was going to ooze out of there! 

Leorio and (Y/n) look at each other and shook their heads. Seriously... _what the fuck_.

Rounds continue to set it, with Gon being able answer correctly. It comes to the final coin toss that things get a little heavy. Now there were multiple men that surrounded Gotoh. They each held their hands out to catch the coin. Once it was flipped, their hands moved around in a quick manner, making it impossible for the others to follow, but Gon didn't have a hard time. A smile actually forms on his face as he looked at the butler in the back.

"None of you have it. In fact the one behind me has it!" Gon squeaked as he looked at Gotoh. The butlers all looked at each other and then at Gotoh..who seemed to be smiling. The one behind the quartet opened his hand to reveal the coin that hid in his hand. They all clapped for Gon, even (Y/n), Kurapika, and Leorio joined in. 

Just as the round ended, Killua's voice could be heard from beyond the door. The one that was to the side of the room. He called out to his friends, mostly calling (Y/n) and Gon's names. Before Gon could leave his head, (Y/n) grabbed his wrist, pulling him down to sit beside her. She pulled out a box of small bandages. Picking one, she removes the bloody tape on his eye and replaces it with a more absorbent material.

"Now don't go cutting your damn eye. You know how dangerous that is?!" (Y/n) scolded her friend.

"Sorrryyy. It helped though!" Gon chirped, laughing.

A hum comes from the Gotoh as he shook his head. "Apologies if I gotten so serious. I must have lost myself in the game." The male reveals his smile to everyone in the room as he continued speaking. "Still it did help the time pass, did it not?"

"Oh..what the hell. It's super late now! I didn't even notice!" Leorio spoke, his eyes widening once he looked at the time. 

(Y/n) and Gon decided that it was time to greet their friend. They both stood up and ran to the door in which they knew Killua would come out of. Within a few seconds, the albino did reveal himself. His blue eyes shined at the sight of his friends. A smile graced his features.

"Woah! Even Leorio and Kurapika are here too!! No way!" Killua marveled, though his attention was mostly focused at the two that he really vibed with. 

"You looked roughed up, Gon! You really took a beating out there huh!" The albino spoke, "And you! (Y/n)! Well I mean you don't look any different. I thought you would have gotten new clothes before going here."

"You think I have enough time to get clothes? Geez! Hey I was in a hurry to come looking for your ass!" (Y/n) fussed, "I cannot believe you didn't hear me during the last phase of the exam. I had a hard time dealing with that you know." The girl stuck her tongue out before she laughs. She can't stay mad at him. She was glad that he was back! He was part of the crew again!

After a while of chatting, they all decided that it was time to leave the estate. 

"Your house is so weird you know that?" (Y/n) mumbled, "We had to go through so much to get to where you were and honestly it's so tiring!"

"Maybe you're just lazy," Killua snickered, lightly nudging her, "lazy-pants." His statement caused her to fuss again. The sight was funny, really, and he wasn't gonna admit that he missed seeing the girl fuss. In fact, he missed seeing everyone. Mostly Gon and (Y/n) though. Speaking of the green clothed boy..he wasn't with them. (Y/n) and Killua stopped, their actions were followed by Kurapika and Leorio. 

Gon could be seen trailing behind him. He had just finished talking to Gotoh. He was quick to catch up though. Killua looked at him curiously. "What did that old man say to you?"

"He told me to tell (Y/n) to take care of you! Well he says that I do too! I dunno why."

"Oh. Well I mean...I dunno why either."

"Wait wait..why me?" (Y/n) chimed in the conversation. 

"Beats me," Gon shrugged his shoulders. The group said their goodbyes to the butlers, thanking them for their _somewhat_ comforting hospitality. The front doors were later opened, revealing the dark night sky.

"I don't wanna walk all the way down there. You know how long it took to get up here?" (Y/n) complained, a groan leaving her mouth. 

"Suck it up, lazy-pants," Killua snickered.

"I'm not even that lazy!" (Y/n) fussed, her hands balling up to fists, "I'm just very _very_ tired right now!"

"Oi oi mind keeping it down. Geez...save it for later." Leorio mumbled. He's had enough stress for today.

The walk down the path was filled with mixed emotions but there's one emotion that everyone shared. They were glad to have Killua back, and he was glad to be back with his friends.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Lets take a break, just a day or two! "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outfit reference: Heaven's tower ( urstyle.fashion/styles/2199383 )  
> really it can be any outfit, this is just my reference.
> 
> Key: (f/c) - favorite color
> 
> This is mostly just a filler chapter to give more light to the reader's backstory :")  
> there is a childish joke in there ;-; hope you don't mind--

After departing ways with Kurapika and Leorio, it was just the old trio left together. Kurapika said he was going to put his hunter license to good use and Leorio was going to attend medical school. Everyone in the group agreed to come back and meet in Yorknew on September first. For the remainder of the months, it was up to the three goofballs to do whatever the hell they wanted. The older teens hopped on their own terminals and departed for work or school, the three were left behind in the airport.

"What are we gonna be doing for the next 6 months?" (Y/n) groaned. She sat on a half wall, watching her friends draw on the ground, comparing their strengths with others. Looking at Killua's line almost ticked her off. She was in no way a tad bit stronger than Gon! He was basically a weird supernatural being! Well, she kind of was too but not as weird as the green one. 

A sigh comes from the girl as she shook her head. She tugged on the straps of her small book bag as she continued to watch her friends. They needed money. Actually..the girl was getting pretty homesick. She wondered why she was staying with them.

Oh she knows why. She doesn't wanna leave these two doofuses alone. 

(Y/n) looks at her friends then to her hands, and then to her arms. Oh right. Ripped sleeves. She probably looked like a mess. Well she _is_ but she wouldn't state it.

"Oi, (Y/n), how much money do you have?" Killua called out to her, catching her attention. The girl hops up to a stand, approached the two males she accompanied. Money? Wait..why? Well if she were to look at her bank allowance, she would say she had some but..money on her now? She's got nothing! Zilch! 

"I have some at home but on me right now? Nothing. Why?" The nen user muttered, tilting her head to the side. 

"Well that settles it. Gon needs to get stronger and we need more money to fund our trip to Yorknew, we can go to this nearby arena," Killua mused, smiling, "Heaven's Arena."

The girl's eyes widen for a moment before she shook her head. That place? She hasn't been there for years! She's gonna catch attention to those around her, especially to the public and employees. To the people there, she was practically a missing person's case. The champion's daughter.

Surely they won't remember her right?

She doesn't want to sit on her father's own pedestal. Her father earned that! She can't ride on his fame!

"Heaven's Arena.." (Y/n) whispered to herself. Her eyes look up to the boys taller than her and she gave them a hesitant nod. She'll go. She doesn't care if she gets recognized, it doesn't matter. Maybe appearing again might help her case, help her with her objective. Maybe appearing in public again would get her father's attention and he'll get to come home to her! Yeah!

"I live nearby, actually, maybe we can go visit my uncle while we're there," (Y/n) mentioned, "We could stay there for a day or two before we head to the Arena. Trust me my uncle is really nice." A smile could be seen on the girl's face as she brought up her uncle. A hum leaves her as she looked to the two boys. 

"Well that settles it!" Gon chirped happily, "Heaven's Arena then!"

The three teens nodded at each other before they approached a ticket booth. Each paid for their own ticket before they boarded their flight. The chairs they picked out were close to each other. Gon sat beside the window, (Y/n) sat in the middle, while Killua was near the hallway. They trio spent most of the trip sleeping. Just a huge 4 hour nap, nothing more.

Gon was the first to wake up first. He found that he was leaning his head against the wall. Drool dripped down his mouth and in a hurry, he wiped it off with his sleeve. He felt some pressure on his shoulder. Making sure not to wake up whoever it was with him, he turns his body. His eyes widen to find (Y/n) had her head against his arm and leaning against her was Killua, lightly snoring. A smile decorates the boy's face as he kept himself still, wishing not to wake up the people he was with.

The flight comes to a stop soon after. Killua woke up before they had landed, which left (Y/n) sleeping and lightly snoring. When the albino woke up, he noticed a soft blush dusting his cheeks, probably due to embarrassment. Gon sent him a short, silent snicker before he pointed at the girl beside him. With a light nudge, he woke up the girl. 

"W-Wha..?" The teen whispered as she rubbed her eyes. A yawn leaves her mouth as she stretches her arms and her legs. She was still sleepy but she had enough energy to keep her going. She wanted to possibly change clothes and meet her uncle before they arrive at Heaven's Arena. Well of course she misses her favorite uncle but there was another reason why she wanted to visit him.

She needed his permission to fight at Heaven's Arena.

Now (Y/n) may be an independent teen, and she was very much good on her own, but some things she's just gotta ask those around her. She knows that if word is spread in her small town, her uncle would be panic. He knows the people around that big, booming city, and he knows that someone would try to take her. She just has to say a word so he doesn't get too worried about her.

Hopping off of the plane and approaching the airport's entrance, (Y/n) looks to her friends and gives them a smile. "Hey..can we visit my uncle first before going to Heaven's Arena? I just..need to show him something, you know. And I have to ask him a few things." 

Gon and Killua looked at each other and nodded. "Sure! I mean..we _do_ have 6 months to spare," Gon laughed, "I'm sure we can spare a few days on visiting your uncle."

The (h/c) haired girl's face brightened up once she heard that her friends would be coming along with her. That was great news! They could see her home, her uncle, her pets! Of course they wouldn't be staying for long but at least they'll have a look at how she lived. Plus, if possible they might be able to see the giant tree that her dad planted! It would certainly be fully bloomed and filled with trees this season. Though she might have to be cautious..pollen around that area gets her sneezing.

_A lot_.

"We can take the bus to my uncle's place. It might take around an hour or so cuz we have to go through the mountains and on to the country side. Well! It's not much of a big deal, you know, the fare going there is pretty cheap. The fare from there to here is much more expensive." (Y/n) let out a soft laugh before she shook her head. She starts by leading her friends out the airport. She knows the buses around here. She actually took one before. If they don't manage to catch the bus then they'll just have to take the taxi to the main city and go from there.

(Y/n) scouts around with her friends following curiously. She finds a familiar bus line. A smile appears on her face before she makes a beeline straight to the bus. There was a line of people waiting. They had their luggages carried, even some had children. They must be the people returning home from working abroad or something. Her (e/c) eyes look up to an auburn pair before moving to a deep blue pair. 

"You stay here and in line. I'll go get us tickets for the bus."

Killua and Gon nodded before they watched her scurry off to buy bus tickets. A smile appears on the black haired boy's face before he looks at the albino. The expression on the boy's features made Killua arch a brow. "What's with the face, Gon?" 

"I'm not making any faces..."

"Yeah you are. You're smiling like a fool." 

Gon tilted his head to the side. "I am?" he questioned. He pulls his gaze away to look at the female that they accompanied, his eyes never leaving her smaller form. "I guess I'm just glad she's happy about seeing her uncle. That reminds me...I have to see my aunt too. I think she misses me..but I did send her a letter about what's going on with my life right now so I guess it's good enough."

"You guys actually miss your family?" Killua mumbled to himself, not expecting Gon to hear him at all.

Which..Gon actually _did_ hear him.

"Yeah. Well I mean I don't blame you for not missing your family ya know. No offense but..your family is kinda..uhh.. _weird_."

A laugh comes from Killua as he stared at Gon's amber eyes. His laughter later reduced to a small smile. "They are weird, huh? I guess I'm somewhat _jealous_ of how you guys have caring families."

(Y/n)'s form comes into view as she approaches her friends. She spreads a smile on her face as she gave her friends their own tickets. "You'll have to show it to the attendant later. He'll know where to tag."

The boys give her a nod before they board the bus. They sat next to each other again and since the seat was enough have three people on it, they sat next to each other again. This time (Y/n) was beside the window, Killua in the middle, and Gon at the outer edge. A hum comes from the girl as she watched the scenery pass by. Still energetic due to her nap, she wasn't about to sleep it off. She spent most of her time yapping to her friends, talking about things like what they plan to do at the Arena. 

(Y/n) didn't dare speak about her past with the Arena. She doesn't want them involved with whatever happened with her in the past.

Soon the little town that (Y/n) lived close by to came into view. They had to take another ride out, further in the country side, where there's no concrete roads, just dirt paths. She sends a smile to her friends before she nudged them, asking them to hop off the bus with her. As soon as she was outside, she takes in a deep breath, taking in the air that this place had to give. The aroma in the area was a mix of foods and other things. The bus stop was nearby a market, they could probably stop by there before they leave to go to Heaven's Arena.

Maybe tomorrow. If they were leaving tomorrow.

"This is where you live?" Killua hummed, "Well I mean at least you're next to the market." The boy stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked around. There were a bunch of people around and by the looks of it, there might be a festival happening around. Surely they'll be able to see what its about after they visit the girl's uncle. 

"We still have to travel. We'll take a bike there. I know a couple of people that are willing to take us further in the country," (Y/n) mused, smiling. She starts walking along the sidewalk, following a path that led to where these special bikes where. They had sidecars beside them, which is fit for three people inside. There wasn't that much room, but she could fit. Her eyes look around, trying to find that specific bike that she usually took. 

She beams a smile as she found him, the man that she was looking for. It was a friend of her uncle's, and supposedly her dad's too. He was a nice old man! His daughter was one of (Y/n)'s friends, actually.

"Come on. You guys can sit inside the sidecar. I just need to talk to the driver for a moment." The (h/c) haired girl looked to her friends, beckoning them inside the sidecar. They boys just nodded to themselves before they got in. Well it was somewhat..spacious. Just enough leg room for them. There was a smaller seat in front of them, just beside where the bike is. Gon and Killua looked at each other and then outside. (Y/n) could be seen yapping her mouth in a language that the boys are not too familiar with, but soon they talked in a language that they understood.

"To your uncle's place then?" The old man hummed, smiling. 

"You bet!" (Y/n) squealed. She hopped in the side car, taking a seat on the sidecar's smaller seat. It was off to the side, right next to the bike but it's good enough for her. Giggles leave (Y/n)'s mouth as she continued to talk with the old man that was driving her and her friends to her uncle's place. They once again spoke in a language that Killua and Gon can't understand. The two boys didn't utter words and just stared at the girl, watching her talk with a person she was familiar with.

At least she's happy.

The motorcycle comes to a stop as they approach a house surrounded by farmland. The driver parks his bike alongside the fence, hopping off so that he too could greet the girl's uncle. (Y/n) was practically buzzing in her chair and was the first one to hop off. She was eager, which was obvious. She approaches the gate that her uncle had and slipped her hands through the spaces between the bars. The nen user takes a hold of the gate's lever, moving it so that it opens. With a final shove, she was able to open it.

Luckily her uncle didn't actually put a padlock on it, like he usually did. He must have expected her to come home.

The noise of the gate alerted Ricardo, making him jump up from his seat. He left the comforting, cool shade of his small straw house to approach the front gate. His eyes widen at the sight of his niece appearing. He didn't even get the chance to prepare himself to greet her. Once the girl sprung at him, they both fell on the floor.

"Uncle!" (Y/n) squealed, giggling, "I'm home!" 

A soft chuckle comes from the bearded man as he lightly patted his niece's head. Ricardo does his best to prop himself up so that his clothes are not too dirty. He just showered, for crying out loud, and now there's probably dirt on him. A hum comes from the older male as he pushed himself up, pulling up (Y/n) in the process. The girl was still giggly, even if it looks like she's been roughed up. Ah..it just comes in the family.

"Are you not going to introduce me to your friends?" Ricardo hummed, smiling. He beckoned the boys to come closer to his niece. He clearly was the same height as one of them. The one with black hair, he was around five foot nine? Stretching that, it would be five foot ten. The other one is clearly towering over the other, perhaps already at 6 feet. 

"Hello!" Gon chirped, "My name is Gon Freecss! It's nice to meet you sir!" He was the first to speak huh? It's obvious that this one is the more outspoken one of the bunch. The other one seemed shy to speak, or rather, he was more hesitant to speak to him. 

"Please, there's no need for formalities. You can just call me uncle. Everyone around here usually calls me either Ricardo or uncle." The bearded male chuckled. He pushed some of his long hair back, making sure that no strands get in the way. A hum comes from him as he looks to Killua, his eyes studying the boy more. 

(Y/n) looked at Killua and then her uncle. She noticed that her uncle was staring at the boy and Killua had done the same. There was some tension between them, but there shouldn't be anything too serious. With a soft nudge, the girl grabbed the albino's attention. She motioned that he should at least introduce himself to her uncle. He looked a little annoyed but complied nonetheless.

"Killua," the boy clad in all dark colors spoke, "Killua Zoldyck."

"Ah...(Y/n) you managed to befriend a Zoldyck?" Ricardo mused. He can't worry about him, well not yet at least. "I'm surprised, child, I really am. I didn't think you'd this many people in the exam."

"Oh but there's more, uncle! I have another friend named Kurapika and another named Leorio! Well they're both out right now but we'll be going to Yorknew in September! Me and my friends are trying our best to earn enough money to get there by September first!" (Y/n)'s eyes were shining brightly as she rambled about her plans. She trusts her uncle with her plans! He's gotta know all the news!

The older man nodded his head before he started to walk over to the small straw shack he had in his front yard. His yard had been filled with all types of flora, from common flowers to other plants that his brother grew himself. Ricardo calls over the trio so they could join him for a snack break. He tells them all to take a seat, enjoy themselves as they relaxed in his small shack. There was some juice and crackers and chips on the table. They were all welcome to get their own share.

"(Y/n), child, you should change your clothes. I'll buy you a new button up once I have the time, okay?" Ricardo smiled at his niece before patting her head, "Bring some glasses while you're at it."

With a nod, the girl hopped off of her seat and scurries off inside the main house where she changes her clothes. That leaves that three males together. A smile on Ricardo's face never disappeared as he looked at these boys. They look like they were somewhat close, which is why they're travelling together. He could...trust this bunch, but he was a little uneasy about the Zoldyck kid. He has a background and soon he'll probably be given a task to kill (Y/n).

Which is a problem.

"So! Uncle!" Gon beamed, "How long have you been taking care of (Y/n)?"

The question cut off Ricardo's thoughts. He pulled himself away from his mind and brought himself to look at Gon. The male nods before speaking. "Well ever since she popped up right in front of my doorstep 5 years ago I've been taking care of her. I took care of her back when was a baby actually. Her father was busy doing his work and I would be there to take care of (Y/n). She's a little rascal sometimes but she's a good kid. Stubborn..sometimes, and a little emotional, but I guess that's part of growing up." Ricardo took a sip of orange juice and bit down on his shrimp chips.

"You three met at the hunter exam, right?" (Y/n)'s uncle inquired, "She has that weird magnet to her. She's always attracting people to her."

Gon nodded happily. He placed his hands on the table that was connected to the straw hut and tapped his hands on it. He took a bag of fish chips earlier and ate it. Killua was hesitant at first but he grabbed a bag of chips that were on the table. The two waited for their cups, which (Y/n) was supposed to bring in.

"I just kinda like...approached her cuz she was doing these weird things at the first phase," Killua responded, "Did you know that your niece is a little weird? Like...magic? She said something about _nen_ but never really specified anything about."

"Oh? Well that's just her thing," the old male chuckled. The loud footsteps of the girl can be heard nearing the small straw shack. She had three cups in her hands and some snacks on her mouth. She had a new outfit, of course, and she had a new backpack on her too. Killua tilted his head at the appearance of the woman. 

Does she always have to have a backpack on her?

"I brought the cups!" (Y/n) squeaked. She placed them on the table and hopped on the bench. She scooted closer to her friends and grabbed a snack on the table too. "Sooo..what are you guys talking about?"

"Just normal things. I'm getting to know your friends, (Y/n)," Ricardo hummed, "They're nice kids. I'm glad that you've found some reliable friends."

"They're good people, uncle!" (Y/n) munched on her food, taking in sips of orange juice as well, "Also! I have something to show you!" The girl pulled out her hunter license from her pocket and handed it over to her uncle. "I got it! I passed the exam!"

Ricardo marveled at the sight of the card. A laugh escapes his throat as he hands his niece back her card. A hum comes from him as he crossed his arms. "You know your dad got that very card at the same age too. I got it when I was fifteen, actually. I'm glad that you're getting places kid. Your dad's proud of you, you know."

"Once I find my dad I'm gonna show it to him of course! He's gonna be super proud!" The girl spread off a feeling of giddiness, similar to that of a child getting their favorite toy. "Oh! By the way, uncle, I wanna ask...um..if it's possible, can I go to Heaven's Arena with my friends? I'm gonna help them earn money for the trip to Yorknew! That means I have to participate and stuff like that!"

As soon as the question rose in the air, things got quiet, despite a T.V still on in the background. Ricardo arched a brow as he looked at his niece and then to the two boys that accompanied her. Money? Funding for a trip? Would she really risk her life for that trip? For her friends? A hum comes from the older male as he looked back at the girl. A frown now spreads on his features as he sighed.

"You can," Ricardo murmured, "But be careful. I know you're at an age where you're responsible enough for your choices but make them wisely. You'll never get a second chance in life." 

His approval almost sounded like a threat to her, but it wasn’t. Her uncle was genuinely worried for her. (Y/n) was well aware that there might be people looking for her, with good or bad intention, but she knows how to handle herself. She can do this by herself, she can survive out there. With a hesitant nod, the girl speaks.

"I know, uncle, I know.." The (h/c) haired girl nodded her head again, "I'll be careful."

Gon and Killua looked at each other, their heads jumbled up with thoughts. They don't follow this whole conversation. They were confused about the topic. They couldn't understand what the girl could be careful over. Might it be the fighters in the arena or something else?

Without hesitating, Gon asked a question. "Why does she have to be careful about it? It's just the arena, right? You can't get seriously hurt there right?"

Ricardo shakes her head, smiling for a moment. He tries to relieve the area from its tense atmosphere. He could feel it, and it was heavy around the girl. It was obvious that she encountered someone in the hunter exam, someone who was after her for money. Clearing his throat to catch his niece's attention, he looks to Gon.

"I'm afraid in the higher levels, a competitor can get seriously hurt. (Y/n)'s father would be disappointed if he heard that she had gotten gravely injured in the arena." 

The older male didn't want to talk about the girl's past, as it might make her uncomfortable. If they further press on the idea, they might have to change the topic.

"(Y/n) can handle herself just fine," Killua uttered, his eyes staring at the older male's pair. "You know she can. Why should she be careful?"

"Something. That's...private business Killua," (Y/n) responded to her friend, answering her question. They looked at each other for a moment before they shift their glances away. There was a heavy feeling around them, that much was clear, but they try to ignore it. A hum comes from the girl as she tried to brighten up, pushing away thoughts of seeing..a certain someone, after signing up for the arena. "Anyway, lets move on." The nen user clears her throat before smiling at her uncle again, "we're probably staying the night over! If that's okay with you. We can sleep in papa's old room!"

Ricardo nods his head, though he was a little hesitant with the idea. If she trusts them enough, well she can have them stay in her room, he guessed. He can trust them. They don't look sketchy at all. A hum comes from the male as he bit on another chip. His eyes watch as his niece called over her friends, leading them to the house that his old family used to own.

(Y/n)'s home wasn't at all that small, nor was it too big. It was almost the size of a regular, two story home. The bedrooms were upstairs whereas the living room, kitchen, and dining area were downstairs. The walls were decorated with family photos and paintings that were from her grandma. One caught Killua's eye. He stopped in the middle of a short hallway to look at a collection of photos in the wall. There were images of (Y/n) and her dad.

He recognizes the person. He really does.

"(Y/n)-" Killua called his friend over. Gon looked to the girl and then to him. The boy clad in green followed the girl to where Killua wandered off to, which wasn't that far from them. The albino pointed at the picture frame that had a bunch of images of her and her father. Her eyes widen before looking at her friend.

"Oh! That's me and my dad, if you're wondering," (Y/n) mused, smiling, "Is there something special about him?"

Looking at the girl straight in the eyes, he pointed at the picture that was a close up of both (Y/n) and her dad. "I know him. I know your dad."

"Y-You do?" (Y/n) stutters out. Knowing that Killua came from a family of assassins, he can't...possibly him know him that way. There can't be a hit on her dad. There would have been news about it! Unless someone told the assassins to cut him out clean and have him missing forever. Her mind was jumping to conclusions again, she was overthinking, and she doesn't mean to do so.

"When I was around 6 or so, I went to Heaven's Arena to compete. Your dad was the champion at the time and he was defending his title. He was all over the news, really, when he was still there. Basically a celebrity. I didn't know that he had a daughter though. I thought it was just a bunch of rumors so I just didn't bother with it." Killua shrugged his shoulders before he looked to his friend, "What happened to your dad anyway? He just like..disappeared all of a sudden. He wasn't a hit from us, I can give you that much. Did your old man ever like..say a word before he left?"

A frown decorates the girl's face before she shakes her head. Well one thing was cleared up. He's certainly not dead, or at least not killed by the Zoldycks. (Y/n) shook her head as she turned her body, walking in the direction where her dad's old room was. "I don't know where he is..he just left me at-" The nen user stopped herself before she spills anymore things about her. She thinks its best if they don't get involved with her problems. She can't solely depend on their help on this issue.

Killua was about to ask more about it but he felt Gon lightly nudge him. They connected gazes for a moment. He understood what the other was telling him, thats for sure. Guess he'll have to eat up his curiosity so that his host wasn’t uncomfortable. 

The trio walks to a room that was upstairs. It was to the right of what looked to be the bathroom. Once entering the room, it was clear that (Y/n) has been staying in this place for a while. She had some clothes scattered all over the floor, her ripped sweater was on a chair. She had a tv in her room with a bunch of consoles. She had a small twin bed with (f/c) sheets and matching pillows. Off to the side were a bunch of small backpacks, of different colors and styles.

(Y/n) walks over to her bed and pats the empty spaces beside her. The two boys sit down beside her, admiring her room and such. There's a bunch of things in her room, all about the things she loves by the looks of it. The girl walks over to turn on her tv and turns on one of the consoles. She tosses two controls over to Gon and Killua before she retreats back to her spot.

"Let's play a game! There's not much to do in my uncle's place. Of course I could do _other things_ but since there are guests, I guess I won't be doing those things?"

"Wait wait..things like what?"

"Nen training..things like that. I don't want you guys getting bored and stuff so I just..don't wanna do it right now. I can definitely probably do it next time. Or I can train once I get to the arena. My uncle did say I can go." (Y/n) pressed a button on her control to start the game. It was the latest edition of a fighting game that she liked. If she had enough controllers, she could have 8 players play, but sadly she only has 3.

Because she only ever has..3 or so friends around her Uncle's town.

"Let's play a game! I bet I can beat you guys in this one! I main kirbs!" The girl was grinning from ear to ear. It's as if she completely forgot about what they talking about, about her family stuff, things like that.

"Woah! Wait I know this game!" Killua yelped, his eyes looking at the screen then at the girl, "Shit..I didn't know you played too! I thought you played those like..other games." 

"Oh I try to buy everything! I have an allowance and everything cuz I help my uncle do work in the farm! Things like that ya know!" (Y/n) giggles.

Gon sat in his seat, clueless, but still enjoying the look that his friends had on their faces.

The two continued to yap about their favorite video games as Gon sat there, smiling. He tries his best to learn the controls, though he is quite clueless about things. The amount of times Gon was beat in a match was...more than 20 he could tell you that much. He ended up watching the matches between Killua and (Y/n) and he enjoyed every bit of it. The two teens rambled to themselves, yelling words like "Oh haha! I'm gonna beat you!" Typical things to say during a fighting game match.

Eventually their fighting happened all day that it turned into night. Grumbles from their stomach stopped the two from continuing their matches. Ricardo's voice could be heard downstairs, calling the teens over for dinner. All three of them hurried over like puppies who have been waiting for their dinner all evening. 

On the dining table, (Y/n) sat beside her uncle, across from Killua and Gon sat beside him. Dinner was calm, really. Nothing much happened over the minutes everyone spent eating. It was after eating where things got a little chaotic. (Y/n) had to wash dishes while Killua and Gon retreated back up to (Y/n)'s current bedroom. Ricardo talked to the girl about some stuff, such as where the boys are gonna sleep, lowered voice volume.

Simple things.

Ricardo makes sure that he's not too strict with her. He knows that a woman such as herself would need space. She's just like her father really, and taking care of her is like taking care of him, his younger brother. It makes his heart ache that his brother isn't here to experience her growth, how she establishes her friendships. Surely a father would want to be there for his daughter during those times.

"Child," (Y/n)'s uncle calls to her, causing her to stop. There the girl held a bag of chips in her hand and a couple of cups on the other. She has a couple of..sodas and other drinks inside her room somewhere, in a small mini-fridge in her closet. How did she get that? She bought it, actually, and her uncle doesn't know about it.

"Be careful, when you get to that arena. You know how they are with champions in that arena. Sure they can recognize you there, but be careful with who you talk to. You'll never know if they're like your friends or not. If you see _her_ or if you see anyone there you deem as a threat, run. Make sure they lose you before you go back to the arena's upper hotels." 

Ricardo's words were like a lecture but they were advice. (Y/n) stares at her uncle before she nods. 

"We're leaving tomorrow morning, Uncle," the girl mutters, her back now facing her guardian. "I'm sorry we can't stay for long but you know how the matches are. There can be long wait times.."

"I know, child...I know." The bearded male sigh as he put away the dishes that his niece had washed. A hum comes from as he kept his back turned towards her. "You go have fun now. Don't stay up too late. If I go in there and you're still awake at 2 am, you're not getting anymore sodas from me."

A giggle leaves (Y/n)'s mouth as she scurries off, yelling "Good night Uncle!" as she climbed up the stairs. She pushes her door open and places the cups and chips on her bedside table. She goes in her closet and pulls out 3 drinks for her friends! Of course everything in there is safe for her to drink! She will absolutely not drink while she's at a young age of 16! 

A hum leaves her as she looked to her friends before glancing at the tv that sat beside her.

"So...what movie do you guys wanna watch? Well I mean I can probably scroll through the different channels and find something for us to watch. Orrrr..we can go play video games but another party game! Like..super duper party! Yeah!" (Y/n) squeaked as she looked to her friends. Gon looked a little confused, as he was not an expert on video games. Killua was buzzing in his seat! He was excited to play with them!

"Super duper party for sure!" Killua spoke, "We'll teach Gon the basic controls, stuff like that!"

"Deal!"

Before any of that stuff happened, the bunch got themselves ready for bed. Of course the boys can't really change into something comfortable, unless they wear Ricardo's clothes, which seem to be baggy. The girl excuses herself as she went to knock her uncle's door. Just peaking through the door, (Y/n) glanced at her guardian with a smile.

"Uncle I need to borrow some clothes! Gon and Killua wanna change into something more comfortable!" The nen user enters her uncle's room to get clothes that _might_ fit the boys. Sure they might be the same height but her uncle's definitely got more muscle and fat. Her friends are a little more on the _lean_ side. A hum comes from her as she walked back to her room and peaked in. Both Gon and Killua were already setting up their futons. 

"Here! I borrowed these from my uncle! You can wear them. He has a bunch of clothes that he doesn't use. That man is always wearing these baggy pants and a long robe so it's fine if you use some of his stuff."

Killua and Gon looked at each other and nodded. "Well I mean you didn't have to," Killua muttered shaking his head. He took one pair and headed off to the bathroom that was close by. Gon was given the pair of shorts to wear, along with a shirt. He waited for the albino to return before he went on ahead to change too. Within a few minutes the bunch of kids were all in the room, their beds all set up. 

"Good! We're all here!" (Y/n) squeaked. She went on ahead to set up the game, eventually running back to her bed after the task was done. "Now! Let's play all night!"

Which..the trio did.

During their play session, a large tabby cat appeared in (Y/n)’s room. Gon noticed the little critter, causing him to lose attention in his game. Placing his controller down, he crawls over to where the cat was. Its soft purrs grabbed the two other teens’ focus on their game. A giggle comes from the girl as she looked at the sight. 

”Who’s this, (Y/n)?” Gon asked as he lightly petted the creature’s head. The cat clearly leans in more to get more pets. 

”It’s my pet cat, Garfelf,” (Y/n) smiled, “He’s a real nice kitty but he always gets himself in fights. He’s...blind in one eye. That’s pretty obvious.” There was a scar on the cat’s eye indicating that it was the cause to its blindness. Purring comes from Garfelf as he drifts away from Gon’s touch. He leaps up to (Y/n)’s bed to groom himself and sleep by her feet. 

Pulling their attention away from the cat, the trio ends up playing for another few hours.

But they ended up getting scolded by Ricardo at 2 am.

The trio all scurried to their beds, though they were wide awake due to the sugar in their system.

"Gon..(Y/n)..." Killua could be heard snickering again.

"What-?" both (Y/n) and Gon spoke at the same time. Though they were in darkness, their tone says that they were curious and concerned.

Killua took this time to tell a stupid joke. Something along the lines of..well..just one word. "ᴘᴇɴɪs."

The kids were snickering again but they were cut short when Ricardo opened the door to scold them again. 

"You kids go to sleep. You have much to do tomorrow."

"Aye sir!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " So the princess returns to sit on her pedestal. " 

The soft ringing of bells and murmurs of people around filled the atmosphere for the market. It was somewhat a busy day in the market. Well it _was_ the weekend, of course there would be more people out and about. It was noon. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, there were no clouds shielding those under the sun. They were all getting soaked and baked. 

(Y/n) stood beside her two friends, Gon and Killua, in their hands were bags filled with groceries that her uncle was going to bring home. The girl would go home too but she had places to go. She just figured that she could help her uncle around with his shopping before they actually depart from the small town. A hum leaves the girl as she looked at the various fruits and vegetable that were laid in display. She watches her uncle pick from the variety of food in front of her. She spares her friends a glance, finding that they were interested in what the juice vendor was selling.

Mutter words in a language that both (Y/n) and her Uncle Ricardo spoke, the older male handed her some jenny so that they could treat themselves while they're helping him out with carrying bags. With the bags still in her hand, the girl walked to where her friends were looking at. She spares them a smile before she calls them over to get some juice. 

"Where are we headed?" Gon asked tilting his head to the side. The only response that he got from the girl was a smile. They followed her to where there were jugs of different juices. The black haired boy's eyes brighten at the sight before he spared a glance to his friend. He was feeling a little giddy about getting treats at the market. The juices didn't look like anything he's drank before, but then again the exports landing in whale island were a little different than the mainlands in the known world. 

There were different colors of drinks, from pinks to whites to blues. There seemed to be a juice for every color of the rainbow. Were they just colored like that or was that just...food coloring. Food coloring..was tasteless right? The boy wasn't too sure about his thoughts. Then again..he doesn't really his trust his thoughts whenever it's about something he doesn't really know well. 

Gon made it obvious that he was starting to think too hard about the coloring of the juices. Eventually he gives up on everything and just waits for his friends to call him over so that he picks a juice from each one. Killua kept his eyes on the jugs, his eyes looking at each sign that were attached to the plastic container. There were fruits such as mangalins, banalys, stromph berries, the regions favorite sour-luck citrines. 

Something caught Killua's eye. It was a drink that was color a light teal color. He was a little surprised that a fruit was able to make such a color. What was the juice's name again? Lilireen? Weird. Well..then again he wasn't too familiar with fruits or vegetables or anything like that. He was, however, an expert in chocolates...especially his favorite choco-robots. Speaking of those little treats..some vendor must sell them here. This was an all purpose market right? There's bound to be some sweets here. 

"So..which ones are we gonna pick?" (Y/n) asked, smiling. She already tried these before. The tastes of these juices were different because they had mixes of different fruits. Sour-luck citrines had a similar taste to lemonade, though it was a little more on the sweet side rather than the sour side. There was no added sugar as usually sour-luck, when picked at the right time, is usually very sweet.

Lilireen had a similar taste to blueberries, but their brighter color makes them very distinct. They had a certain _punch_ to them whenever someone eats them by itself. It's part of another family of fauna, one that usually is poisonous. Lilireen, however, has a mild poison. A high dosage of lilireen by itself would be..very harmful. Which is why juices are extracted from the small, hand sized fruits, only bits of it were mixed in with water and sugar. 

Stromph berries taste like common wine that stores would sell. The color was similar to that of red wine too. They had the same alcoholic properties as wine, but with enough control, it's possible to make it into a harmless juice. Though a small amount of juice is added to make it drinkable for children, small children would still experience a little tipsiness due to the stromph berries's chemicals. It's popular for teens such as (Y/n) but those below 14 wouldn't be able to tolerate the berries's alcohol amount.

Banalys was a long fruit. Sometimes the fruit could grow up to 4 feet tall, though the chances were quite low. Usually the banalys that people see and eat on a regular day to day basis is around the size of a small water bottle. This fruit has a weird taste to it. On some occasions, it would taste really sweet, on other days it would taste sour. Some locals speculate that the fruit was affected by the weather, but in reality the changes in flavor was because of the fruit getting baked in the sun for too long. In order for banalys to be made into a juice, it would have to be shaded as soon as possible so that it could keep its sweet taste. Luckily for the trio, this banalys juice is sweet.

After such an informative time, they all decided that they pick their own drinks. A hum leaves (Y/n) as she looks to the other two. She finds that Gon had picked mangalin juice while Killua had the lilireen. The girl picked whatever she wanted to drink. They all had their own drinks in a cup that could be disposed of easily. There were trash cans nearby. There was no need to litter around such a small market. 

"Thanks..." Killua mumbled, as he sipped his beverage. The girl beside him only gave him a smile before she takes big gulps of the juice she picked, returning later for seconds. Killua and Gon retreated back to where the girl's uncle was, finding that he was still looking for vegetables he could cook for tonight's dinner.

"Yo...you still trying to pick..uh..sir?" the alibino asked, "I don't think it shouldn't take this long to pick things you need to store in your fridge."

Ricardo looked back at the kids behind him, sparing them a smile before he shook his head. Doesn't take that long? Oh dear..they're not adults yet. Groceries _do_ take this long because he has to look at the quality before he could pick it up. The older male's gaze falls on the bunches of fruits and veggies in front of him, his hand delicately pressing against the skin to check for ripeness.

"Well you see...it's not that simple Killua. You have to see the quality before actually picking. It's like picking meat and it's kinda like picking your own friends," Ricardo mused. The smile on his face never left as he placed a large banalys in his bag. "You have to see how they are, how their personality is, before considering friendship with them. I know you're the type of person to evaluate people. It's a little obvious considering your background." A light laugh comes from the older male as he looked back. His free hand was extended to the merchant, handing him the jenny he needed to pay the produce. 

Killua was alone..for some reason. Ricardo figured that Gon was with him, but it looks like he went back to the juice seller to grab another round. A soft hum leaves the farmer as he shook his head. The alibino was silent, as he didn't expect something like that to come out of Ricardo's mouth. Quietly he waited for the other two doofuses to run back to where they were at. His hands around the bags of meat and vegetables were light, but enough to carry them around.

"I trust that when the time comes, you'll know what to do," Ricardo hummed. 

What the older male said was a little confusing. What was he talking about? He can't piece that all together since it was so out of the blue. His grip around the handles of the bags were tight again as he heard footsteps coming from his right. Gon and (Y/n) must be coming back.

"Killua, Uncle!! I didn't tell you but we went to get seconds," (Y/n) snickered. She sipped from her cup with one had while the other held groceries. 

"Well more like I got seconds and this is her third serving," Gon mumbled, laughing a little. That earned him a pout from the girl and a light jab to his stomach. With a soft _oof_ coming from the black haired boy, he chuckled again. "Okay okay..maybe this is my _third_ serving too."

"Not my fault the juice vendor makes juice good..." the nen user mumbled. Shaking her head, she thinks of something else to talk about. She spares Killua and her uncle a glance before looking down at the groceries that she held in her hands. "What are we gonna do about these Uncle?"

"Well I'm almost done shopping. You guys can just put them in a sidecar in a bike. I'm sure my friend is working today. I trust that he'll reserve me the ride to the afternoon," Ricardo hummed. He had his back turned toward the kids. There he goes again, picking more produce to put in his bag. It was already getting full..why does he even continue adding more? Was he stocking up or was there a party that he was gonna cook for.

Actually...considering the bustling mood of the market today... there might be something up. There might be a festival and she has to miss it this year. It was what..the fourth month of the year? Thinking about certain events, (Y/n) was there, silent and pondering. A lightbulb lights up in her mind as she remembered something.

There was a festival that was going to happen a few days from now. It was the celebration of harvest. Knowing her small little town, they thrived in agriculture. Farming was her uncle's work too. Taking care of the goats back home, all the animals that she missed. No wonder everyone was stocking up today. 

A pout decorates the girl's features as she comes to the realization that she'll miss that special festival. Well maybe if she ditches her friends in order to spend more time with her uncle again...mmmm...perhaps that's not a good idea. She already agreed going with them to Heaven's Arena, and so she'll stick by her word. 

"Something on your mind, (Y/n)?)" Gon asked, lightly nudging the female he stood beside. There was a soft smile on his face as he sipped more of his mangalin juice. 

The girl shook her head before she had done the same, taking a gulp of her juice as well. "Nah...Well I mean I did but it's not that important." 

After a short conversation, the three decided that it was time to put the groceries away. There were a bunch of bikes parked beside each other. The friend that her uncle had in mind had a specific design to his side car. It was like an egg; it had a white color and a yellow interior. He had a small mascot on top of the side car, which was a small plush of some..yellow chick. It stood out from the rest.

Due to the _silly_ designs of the sidecar, it was easy to spot the friend that her uncle told about. She spared the male a smile, speaking a language that they could both understand before placing the bags of groceries in the small cubby. Killua and Gon shadowed her moves, pulling away from the closed area afterwards. 

Saying a small goodbye, the trio all return to where the older male was. He was in another stall, thank the heavens, but he was now looking for spices. Ricardo greets them, turning his back to the spice seller so that he could give the kids their fare for the bus. 

"Did you tell Marrilo, (Y/n?)" Ricardo asked, smiling. 

"Of course uncle! He's waiting for you in the bike parking area. I told him that you'll take a while and he just laughed," the girl giggled, "Thank you for the money, uncle." (Y/n) counted the bills, her eyes widening a little. This was..too much money! The bus fare was only a few jenny but the amount that her uncle gave her was enough to get them a 5 star meal in a restaurant! Did he prepare this much money for her? The girl muttered softly to herself in a language that Gon and Killua didn't speak.

The relatives talked among themselves. What they were talking about? Well of course it had to be about money. Then suddenly Ricardo pulled out a card and handed it to the girl. (Y/n)'s eyes widened at the sight before she ran to hug her uncle. Gon and Killua watched, kept to themselves, but it was clear that they liked their positive interaction.

The nen user was given her card back, and her uncle just told her that he managed to gain control of her savings for a while now. The duration of time she had spent away from home, Ricardo was able to do some _legal_ things that granted him proper custody of the child. Of course he had the help of someone, which made things easier for him. Now he was able to take proper care for her without being labeled as some sort of kidnapper.

That's a relief..for both Ricardo and (Y/n).

With a proper goodbye, (Y/n) pulled away from the hug that her uncle had her in. She hums a soft tune before she waves a small goodbye to her relative. Her hand stuffs the card in her pocket, figuring that she'll put it away in her bag later. That sucks..she didn't bring her wallet. Only some personal belongings. Actually they might be able to buy a wallet in the city later. 

The trio retreat to the bus stop. Just like how they did things in the airport, (Y/n) went to go buy tickets for her friends while Killua and Gon stood in line waiting for her to return. They talked to each other, passing the time as the girl did whatever she needed to do to get the tickets. Apparently she said that she knew the folks that gave her tickets, as her uncle was quite popular in the area. Well her father's side was popular, really, as he was the one that managed to remain champion of the arena for a while.

Saying a short thank you, the nen user departs from the ticket booth and arrives back to her friends. She hands their small slips before they got on board. The conductor smiles and greets the young girl, finding that she was back from the hunter exam, out and about. (Y/n) had done the same as she took the tickets back. There were vendors on the bus...so if her friends wanted, they could get snacks. 

Well considering that they already had something to drink, they should get something to eat too.

"You guys want anything? I know there's usually people trying to sell snacks here. I'm wondering if you guys want any of those," the (h/c) haired girl mumbled, smiling to her friends. 

Gon and Killua looked to each other before they looked at the girl that sat near the small walkway of the bus. The one wearing black looked away shyly. The fact that she had been treating them to snacks from her place embarrassed Killua. He was never this spoiled..or well maybe he was, but by friends? No..never..he never felt this way. It was weird, but it was a nice feeling.

A hum leaves the albino as he shoo his head. "Nah..I mean you've been treating us to a bunch of stuff. It's a little embarrassing if we keep asking for more, you know."

"I don't mind it at all! Besides..I'll have enough money to afford these things anyway. The snacks that they sell on the bus are only like 10 jenny..so don't worry about it!"

Gon looked at his friend, smiling. As much as he appreicated her kindness, maybe giving them snacks felt a little too much. To avoid hurting the girl's feelings, the black haired boy thought about something that they could do. Ah!! Something appeared in his mind! The curve on his lips grew as he kept his auburn pair at her (e/c) eyes. "Let's get lunch later before we sign up to fight in the arena. If we eat snacks now, we'll lose our appetite. It's a good idea, don't you think, Killua?"

The Zoldyck felt a small nudge on his side. He finds that Gon saved him some slack and made sure that he didn't hurt (Y/n)'s feelings in the process. Geez..he was more of an expert on things like this. He really was..anyway. This is the first time Killua's had friends and he doesn't know what to do in a situation like this. It's only right tha the one wearing green would help him out on this. With a nod, he agreed to Gon's idea. "Yeah..lunch first. We can eat later."

"Well if you guys say soo," (Y/n) chirped, her voice sounding like she sang her line instead. 

The rest of the trip to the city was sort of quiet. This resulted in (Y/n) falling asleep during the ride. Making sure that she doesn't fall when she's leaning on the more open side of her, her body prompts to rest her head against Killua's shoulder. When the alibino felt his friend rest her head against him, a soft blush dusted his cheeks. She was sleeping again. Does she have the habit of sleeping while she's on the bus or something?

Killua wasn't the only one that noticed this. Gon managed to see from the corner of his eye, making him turn to look at his friend. The sight of Killua blushing made the black haired boy smile and snicker. "Don't move her...she's sleeping. She might need the rest," Gon mumbled, smiling. "I won't say anything about what the look on your face. You can count on me for that." The male sent a small wink before he turned his head to look outside the window. 

After passing by the mountains, they finally arrived at a bus stop that brought them near the arena. Killua nudged the girl awake, causing her to jump slightly. (Y/n) rubbed her eyes as she yawned. She mumbled words that only she understood, to herself, as she stood up and stretched. Quietly she walked, quickly her steps went to get outside. The bright light of the sun managed to wash away her sleepiness causing her eyes to spring wide open. 

The buildings around them...oh yeah they were surely in the city now.

Since the arena was close by, it didn't take the three a long walk to get there. (Y/n) looked at the amount of people in a line, finding that to be a troublesome sight. A sigh comes from her as she lightly tugged on the straps of her backpack. Waiting out here? Under the sun? Can't they get lunch first or something? 

Wait...if they get lunch, the line's just gonna get longer, and the thought of waiting in a longer line made (Y/n)'s pout grow. The girl slumped over as she leaned against the building's walls, waiting in line. The teens prompted for idle chatter as they waited. After what seemed to be hours of waiting, when in reality it was just one hour of baking in the sun, the three managed to get to the sign up form.

(Y/n) stares at the form, hesitant to put in her full name. Once word gets out that someone is coming back, things would be real big trouble. There's a horror to her in this city and frankly she doesn't want to face that right now.

Oh but (Y/n) was no coward, though her mind was telling her different. Where was her stubbornness when she needed it now? 

The (h/c) haired girl took in a deep breath before she filled up the form, putting in her basic information, and even including her father's name as her last name. She'll wear it proudly. She wasn't a princess that was supposed to take over for her father. She knew that she wouldn't stay here long anyway. She's a lone wandering, no longer a princess. 

Yet there are some that still would call her that.

The attendee in front of the sign up stand had a shocked expressions. With wide eyes and a mouth agape like that, (Y/n) knew that she didn't like the sight. 

"Minimeta?" the woman behind the counter asked. There was a giddy smile on her face, much to the girl's dismay. "Welcome back, (Y/n)."

Killua and Gon looked at each other as they found (Y/n) looking down at her feet. They noticed that something is off. Though the woman in front of them didn't look like the problem. Well just yesterday they did have a talk about this. Maybe something's up and they just don't know about it.

Killua could piece things together but since Gon was a little clueless to what was going on, he would have to explain somethings. First things first, they have to compete in the arena to get stronger and to get more money to fund their trip to Yorknew. 

The attendant at the front desk let them in to fight in the arena. The first place they'll be going is where the beginner fights are at. (Y/n) could already hear the rowdiness that the area had. This...is where mostly the first timers go, this is where rough, gruff men went to fight. It's been ages since she last seen this place. Nothing seemed to change.

The trio enter a room that was like a small stadium. There were mats in the center where the contestants would fight to win their spot. There were no rules to winning, as you simply had to knock the other out of the square to acquire a win. If you manage to put on a show, you were able to climb up to the top easily. By the look of that attendant's face, the woman was expecting (Y/n) to put on a show...which..the girl wouldn't even consider doing in the first place.

"This place hasn't changed a bit.." the (h/c) girl mumbled, her (e/c) eyes glance down at the stadium. A smile lived on her face as she looked at the sight. This arena brings back memories, memories of her childhood, where her father was still around. The thought of coming back here made her stomach ache with anxiety, but mostly pain from losing her father so early in life. Just the mere thought...made her want to leave. 

"Yeah..it's still as noisy as ever inside here..I'm guessing you've been around this area enough to get used to the place huh?" Killua mused, smiling at the girl. The only response that they got from her was a simple nod. Gon tilted his head to the side, his mouth slightly agape. Words left his mouth to ask a question.

"You guys have been here before yeah?" the black haired male spoke, "It's usually this busy in here?"

"Well considering that you get prize money for beating up a lot of people, yeah it's usually busy here," (Y/n) hummed. She let her hands dangle between the spaces of her legs, her upper body slumped forward as she took a seat on a bench. "This place is popular for people that want both a fight and money. A nice source of income if you fight here often."

"You'll want to go up a few levels more so that you can get a good source of income. The people that you would want to fight are in the higher levels, Gon. Those people up there are the ones that are around Hisoka's level." Killua leaned back, his eyes careful on the fighters that took their place in their respective squares. He can't wait to get money and fight his way to the top. Considering his experience, and probably both his friends' fighting experience, they might be able to reach Hisoka's level in no time.

Quietly the trio talked to themselves until someone was called up. Gon was up first. The boy clad in green sent a small wave to his friends before he went down the steps to his match. 

There were mutters around, saying how some kid can't fight someone the size of his opponent. Sure there was a difference in size but that doesn't really matter in a fight. A hum leaves (Y/n) as she watched Gon knock over the big, large, tubby male. The sight made her smile, the fact that he was able to prove these people wrong managed to make her feel better about the situation they were in. 

Gon walked over to his friends, smiling to them and saying that he manged to reach the 50th floor. Well that floor was sort of easy to beat. It was easy to tell. In no time they'll reach up the hundreds!

"I'll see you guys outside!" the black haired boy told his friends before he exited the room. Now it would be Killua's turn and then right after was (Y/n)'s turn.

A sigh leaves the girl as she hopped on the platform. She placed her bag down somewhere so that it wouldn't bother her. (Y/n) figured that she won't need to use her nen for these stages. It felt..a little unnecessary. Usually she never thought that. Maybe there was a confidence booster around her. Was it the fact that she was in her old father's old place made her a little confident? Maybe so..but the girl didn't think about it. There weren't that many female competitors in the arena, which means she'll be getting comments. The fact that she had her father's last name didn't make her case any better either. 

"You're the lost princess aren't ya?" (Y/n)'s opponent called to her. The title princess didn't strike her liking. In fact..she hated it whenever they called her back. _Lost_ _princess_. She was anything but that.

"There's no time for chatter, _sir,"_ (Y/n) spat at the guy. She sighed as she ignored further comments. When she was clearly not interested in talking back, the male tried to make insults. When she didn't notice those either, it made him angry. A huff comes from the male as he ran to her, lunging, trying to take a punch at her. With a single glance, the girl noticed his moves, which prompted her to take a swift kick.

His position didn't help his case. He was mid-air, in motion, yet she managed to stop his route with a single kick to the chest. The male flew to the wall, his body making ripped dent in the soft leather cushion's exterior. A sigh comes from (Y/n) as she stepped off of the platform, her hands grabbing her backpack.

"A relative of a champion...?" A male called to her, causing her to turn around. A pout was clear on the girl's face as she pushed some of her hair away. 

"What about it."

"Nothing..."

The male was clearly intimidated by her presence, to (Y/n)'s surprise. The guy printed out some paper, which earn her a spot in the 14oth floor of the building. She gave it back to him lightly, requesting for the 50th floor. The nen user that her friends would be there so why not join them.

(Y/n) takes the note that tells her to get up to the 50th floor. She spared the referee a glance, her eyes lingering for a moment. The staff knows that she's here now. News might go out again. That's a bother. 

"Can I request something," the girl muttered

The man gave the young teen a nod, his eyes lifting from the sight of the weird note device on his hand.

"Keep the press out of this."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " A new face, a new friend. " 

Each step taken feels more like a drag. (Y/n) couldn't help but stare at others around her, finding that they seem to recognize her. With similar, if not, almost identical features to her father, it was hard not to notice someone who was a close relative to a long standing champion of the arena. Anxious, she felt fear, but for what? The girl couldn't understand. The proud, if not, confident structure she had on prior to coming to the arena was breaking down around her as she continued to walk around the halls.

This area was not safe for her. Her uncle told her, hell even she knew that being here can cause attention to another person. Someone she wasn't fond of, strangers that want her head. Seraphina was another threat. Oh don't think she forgot about that woman..and her supposed all seeing eye.

The girl kept her head down, making sure to hide her identity from others. News would have spread by now and despite her request, there would be press pushing others around to get another word from her. Why? A celebrity status that she never fancied. 

Making her way to the 50th floor by elevator, (Y/n) stuck herself in the back corner of the small square, keeping her head low as she felt stares on her. People recognized her and by heavens did she hate it. She hated it to so much. Her hands grasp the skin on her arms, squeezing it till it hurt. It kept her leveled in reality, before she could start getting lost in her thoughts again. 

"Get away from me," her mind chanted, "Stay away from me." No one could hear her, as she never voiced what she had bouncing around her mind. 

The ride up the elevator was quiet. It wasn't a comfortable silence that wrapped around her. It felt more like someone was strangling her, trying to make her say a word as her vocal chords are getting strained in her throat. Nails dug into her own skin, almost making a mark, almost making her bleed. Regret embeds itself in her chest the longer she stays in the small elevator filled with stares. Why didn't she listen to herself, why didn't she turn down the boys' offer to go to the arena?

The soft ding of the elevator grabbed the attention of the girl, making her look up to find that they had reached the 50th floor. Even if the ride lasted for a few minutes, it felt more like a couple of hours. The girl pushed her way out of the crowded area, eager to leave, eager to get out of such a small space. Stares connect with her form as she made her way stomping to the room where the 50th floor fighters would be having their break in. Her hands tugged the straps of her backpack, fingers balling up into fist as a desperate attempt to cover up her feelings. 

Having her friends see her like this and them getting worried? She doesn't like it. The thought of it hurt her. She doesn't want them to know, she doesn't want them to get stressed over her situation.

Unknowingly something gets in her way. Walking with her head down makes the girl face more problems than usual. A problem like bumping into a stranger. 

(Y/n) stumbles backwards, but it wasn't enough to make her fall on her bottom. Taking a few steps back she looks to the person she had collided with. It was a curious male, a few inches taller than her. By the look of his appearance, he looks a little younger than her. Perhaps by a year or two. He wore white. Weirdly enough the outfit he was sporting made it look like he was practicing martial arts. He had strong brown, almost black eyes. His hair was short..perhaps a buzzcut, and it had a light brown hue. 

"S-Sorry-" the girl stuttered out, sparing the male a smile. She was about to take another step when she noticed Gon and Killua in front of this stranger. Her eyes widen a little, her mouth slightly agape as she stared up at her friends. She..hadn't seen them. Well..she could have seen them if she was looking straight ahead. 

"What took you so long?" Killua asked, tilting his head to the side. Gon was clearly curious as well. 

"I was in another elevator ride than you guys. It takes a while to get here ya know," (Y/n) mumbled. She walked a little closer to her friends, drifting closer to Killua so she could take another closer look at the male in front of them. "Who's this?"

"I'm Zushi!" the one with lighter brown hair spoke. The teen had a bright smile on his face as he looked at the only female in the group. They exchanged smiles, with (Y/n) introducing herself to a new friend. Soon they four started to walk together to where the competitors were supposed to fight at. The bunch talked to each other to fill up the time. It felt more like small talk, though, Zushi changed topics often. He talked about fights and then it soon escalated to "What type of school do you guys go to?"

The question sparked confusion in the trio as they all looked to each other. Well Zushi clearly did practice martial arts but they didn't expect that he would ask what sort of school they would be in. Were...they really that good to the kid's eyes?

"We're...umm..self taught," Gon muttered, sending a smile to him. The one he had on right now felt a little awkward, unsure if his answer was the correct one. Killua and (Y/n) looked to each other before nodding. It was a good enough answer to them, he was sure that Zushi would take it. He was a lighthearted guy, a nice one too. 

The response sort of shocked the male as he didn't know what to think of it. Self taught? Independent warriors? His eyes say it all. The look made it clear that he was expressing his shock, astonishment even. He had to train under someone to get his skills, but they were self taught? Well! That was certainly a surprise! 

Before the quartet could approach the room that they were supposed to go to, they were all stopped by someone who was..well..far much older than them.Well..the person looked to be around his mid, maybe late 20's? The girl wasn't sure..as she wasn't the best estimating other people's ages. The last time she did that, she offended a young lady when she said that she looked to be around her 40's. Hey! (Y/n) couldn't help it, the woman was just asking her about guessing her age. She wouldn't bug off!

This..black haired male with glasses had a lean, maybe thin structure. His back was straight, confident, and well- he looks to be a worthy teacher, as he did call to Zushi and the male responded with "Master!" This..new person must be skilled to be called master. Although Wing had his eyes closed, smiling from ear to ear and spreading congrats to student, the male's eyes would flutter open to stare at the girl that accompanied Zushi. Wing's lips pursed into a frown for a quick second before he put on his usual smile.

(Y/n) was aware of what happened, and the expression that Wing had worn on his face for the split second. He knew her. Almost anyone who had history in this arena knew who she was. Hell even the new contenders knew about her. The girl's hands tightened around the straps of her backpack as she looked somewhere else, showing how jumbled her feelings are at the moment with a glare.

"It's nice to meet you, Wing," Gon squeaked in the background. He then proceeded to say his names, followed by Killua. The albino expected (Y/n) to follow him, but he finds her silent. With a soft nudge her way, the tallest of the trio sent a look her way, finding her curiously looking away. Thinking of something perhaps? He's never seen her so..distant. Usually she would be sociable along with Gon, but seeing her shelled up was weird.

The girl knew what to do and Killua didn't have to tell her. "(Y/n)," was all the girl spoke, sending a soft glance to the black haired male. She looked away afterwards to avoid feeling awkward or anxious. The girl kept her head down after that, letting whatever the boys wanted to talk about in the background. She noticed that they were walking in another direction. She knew where the fighters would be but she guessed she was missing something. Heavens...she doesn't remember or she doesn't want to remember anything about this arena.

"What brought you here to this arena?" Wing asked, looking at the bunch of teenagers he accompanied. 

"We wanted to improve, ya know?" Killua answered this time, "And you can get a lot of money here. Well we're broke and stuff so we gotta do whatever we can to get money ya know."

Gon chimed in afterwards saying something along the lines of, "Killua and (Y/n) have been here before!" It was something that grabbed the girl's attention, causing her to look to her friends with a cautious gaze. A smile crawls to her face, making it seem that she was fine. She sent them a nod before looking away once more. To the others, it may seem like she was acting like this all the time, especially to two strangers that she just met. Gon didn't think much of it but Killua knew that something was wrong.

The eldest in the bunch thought that the way she acted was..reasonable. Wing knew about her, knew about her history with this place. Champions came and go, leaving with prize money or staying here to fight others who want to fight the champion. (Y/n)'s father was another case. A disappearing act was done almost a decade ago. She disappeared along with her father and they were never seen again. The people who worked in the arena scrambled to find someone worthy to be the champion, causing a panic almost.

Of course someone who leaves a mark in the arena's history could feel like this as they step into the fighting grounds again. News will spark around, move faster than waves.

(Y/n) finally looked up, trying to shove her feelings down as she wore a smile. They approached a booth? Oh..now that she thought about it, she remembers that people who fought in the arena had to get their prize money. The people from the first floors advancing this far only have receive a handful of money. The prize escalates the farther one gets to the floors. It multiplies and you get money as long as you fight. It was a good enough career, (Y/n) thought, but it just..wasn't for her. 

The fighters get their money, as expected, and (Y/n) immediately heads off to a vending machine to get a canned drink. The girl sips as she looked at her friends. Gon and Zushi's facial expressions..were they not aware of the prize system here? Of course she would explain but Killua beat her to it. The albino continued to talk about the prizes until Gon interrupted him and sent a question to (Y/n) which caused her to almost choke on her beverage.

"How much did your dad make, (Y/n)?"

How much did he make? The girl couldn't say. She can't remember, but all she knew was that her father was super rich, but he was humble. Even if he was the champion, he never wore bright or fancy clothing to show off his wealth. Taking a few seconds to breathe air, making sure that she doesn't choke on her drink, she sent her friend a smile, shaking her head afterwards. A short laugh comes from her mouth as she looked away from her friends. 

"I can't say. I don't remember, or well..I don't think my dad ever told me how much he made." (Y/n) shrugged her shoulders as she sent a look to the two strangers, finding Zushi's face twist and turn into expressions that mixed confusion and astonishment. Wing had a look to him, she can't describe it, but there appeared to be a smile on his face. 

After finishing her drink, she tossed it in a recycling can nearby. Her hands were idle by her side as she walked with her two friends and two strangers that she considered as acquaintances as most. Zushi looked like he wanted to ask questions, something that appeared in his mind a few minutes after Gon asked that peculiar question. He didn't say it. It looked like the guy was feeling a little unsure if he should be asking those questions.

Departing Wing's side, Zushi joined Gon, Killua, and (Y/n) to the fighter's waiting room. The strong smell of sweaty fighters caused the girl's face to twist into a grimace. She was disgusted by the smell, but could she really complain? She could, if she wanted to anger people. (Y/n) kept herself near Killua and Gon, with Zushi sitting in front of the albino. Stares were sent her way, causing the girl to shell up again. Anxious about the future caused her to shut herself in. 

Gon seemed to finally notice his friend's odd behavior, which caused him to look at Killua. The male was thinking the same thing. The assassin glanced at the people in the room, glaring daggers almost at anyone who was looking their way. Icy glares didn't seem to faze the men in the room, but rather they scoffed at the girl's pathetic appearance. Some old troublemaker shows up and this is how she was acting? Looks like she doesn't have her father's moxie.

A shaky sigh leaves the girl as she pulled herself together, trying to get herself together. She pushed worries away from her mind to avoid her internal conflict from growing. She was better than this. She can prove that she was another person, she can't live under her fathers shadow anymore. Her hands turn into fists once more as she looked around, her eyes glaring at those who looked her way. Lips were pursed into a a frown as she steeled herself. 

She can't...no she can't think about possible bad ways her life could end. If people want her head, they were going to fight her for it. Her father was a star, but she sure was a brighter one. 

Killua and Zushi were the first ones to get called up for a fight, leaving (Y/n) and Gon to themselves once more. The male clad in green scooted closer to his friend, his hands flat on his thighs as he looked to her curiously. "Hey, something the matter? You know you've been acting weird. Something bothering you?"

It appears that the black haired boy was the one to ask if she was feeling okay. Killua was another case, as he seemed to act more on impulse rather than asking if she was okay or not. Either way, the girl appreciated how her friends treated her. Gon's question caused (Y/n) to look up at her friend and send him a smile. 

"I'm sure you know I have history with this place. It's not like I'm uncomfortable but I'm afraid of what people would say about me appearing again. They clearly recognize me...but I don't like having that recognition you know? I sort of..just..ya know..want to be a nobody when it comes to this place." The girl knew that being a nobody was an impossible thought as the fights were broadcasted on tv. Once she reaches those top floors, almost everyone will know that she's back. For what reason? Most would think that she wants to reclaim her father's throne.

It's not her intention. (Y/n) only came back here because she wants to accompany her friends. 

The thought of press dubbing her some stupid nickname made her..somewhat furious, but she can't do anything about it. Those people were nosy, wouldn't let her get away with existing in this city without shining the spotlight on her. There was only ever one concern the girl was worried about. Disregarding the past with this arena, she was scared of someone finding her again. Oh she'll never tell Gon or Killua..unless the matter grows serious.

The duo would continue to talk to each other, keeping each other's company as they waited for their names to get called. Gon had went away first, leaving the girl to herself. (Y/n) kept her head high, making sure that she doesn't seem like a coward. Her lips were shut, closed into a frown as she stares at others who stare at her. Her hands hold on to each other, tightly, but not enough to break them. She'll get called up soon, matched with someone that she deemed was an equal opponent. 

Approaching the stage, she stares at a curious looking lady. This older woman had a smile on her face as she approached her opponent. She gave off..this creepy vibe, but it didn't faze the younger female. In fact, she was probably used to it. The announcer introduced the audience to the show, saying the names of the fighters in the arena.

There was a screen that played her first match in the arena, showing her take down a man with just a swift kick. The short comment afterwards caused her feelings to boil to what (Y/n) could describe was a mix of both anger and anxiety. There were two that her body can't chose between so it just mixed it into a horrible cocktail. 

"As to be expected of the daughter of an old champion!" rang in the girl's mind. With everything happening around her, her feelings bounced around like a ball, sporadic and can't settle on one thing. 

After her playback, her opponent's last fight was also shown. (Y/n) watched closely so she could get a clue to how the woman operated. Close combat is what the woman seemed to be good at. Well that makes the two of them. Of course she had already thought of a plan and she would execute it, giving her a clean KO. 

Votes were tallied, showing that the audience wanted the champion's daughter to win. The votes confused the girl but she didn't complain. She was going to get the win and the girl was sure of it. She'll advance with ease as she plans to go as far as her friends wanted to go. 

(Y/n) stares at the person that was in front of her, finding the smile on the older lady's face to worsen. It sickeningly turns wider. Veins were visible on her forehead, expressing her anger over the fact that people believed in the old champion's daughter rather than a new contender. As soon as the fight started, the nen user started to get closer to her target, her eyebrows furrowing as she studying the older lady's stance. Her back was vulnerable. Most fighters never block there, making it easier to hit.

Her uncle told her a few pointers that her papa told him back when they still talked to each other. Weak points can be seen immediately if you knew where to look. 

The lady, whom she knows was Lady Shaima, spared the girl a glance, taunting her to come closer. It seems she knows what she's doing but (Y/n) didn't think she would be difficult to beat. Was she getting cocky, confident? Maybe, but you can't blame her, she wants to get out of platform fast. 

The nen user took another step forward, making it look like she was going to attack her front. Secretly she had been storing her nen to her ankles so she could give herself a boost to get past the woman's defense and hit her side with a swift kick. (Y/n) sends her opponent a smile before she runs to Lady Shaima's backside and hits her side, causing the woman to bounce to the side. 

Roars erupted from the mouths of those who sat in the audience. The announcer seemed to cheer for her too. For a moment she felt pride, she felt happy about what she had done. For a moment she had forgotten that she had things to be worrying about. The referee said her hit was a clean hit, but it wasn't a KO. The lady clearly still had a little in her. The older woman glared at the younger, his lips pursed into a frown instead of a smile.

(Y/n) sent her the opposite of what she had on her face, sending her a short wave as she readied herself up for another round. Minutes were spent tossing the older lady around until the girl had won her round. A sigh comes from the nen user as she looked at her appearance on the large screen in the room. She had..won..but at what cost? Exposure? Ah..she'd have to think about what to do after leaving the arena to get food or something. She needs a getaway plan in case paparazzi crowd her. 

Lady Shaima was escorted out of the room, as well as (Y/n). They were led into different areas. The girl didn't know where the older lady went and at this point..she doesn't seem to care about it. As soon as she exited the arena, she felt gazes on her. Smiles almost were planted on strangers faces as they looked at her. They wanted to fight her as well, that much was clear on their faces. A soft "tch" left the nen user's mouth as she walked, ignoring the glances of others as she tried to suppress feelings once more. 

She can't have another breakdown, she can't have herself sink again. (Y/n) know she can get through this, she knows that she'll be able to pull through. Her eyes spot her friends sitting and chatting on a bench. Gon had money on his hand, prize money the girl assumed, while Killua had his hands in his pockets as usual. The girl's steps grew wider apart as she made her way there. She was rushing to meet with people she found comfort in. 

"(Y/n)!" Gon squeaked, "Nice to see ya again! How was the fight?"

The girl spared her friends a smile as she took a seat on the bench. "It went..well..I guess. I'm getting more recognition and I don't know how to feel about that. I guess it feels nice. This must be what my dad felt when he was still fighting here."

"Oh," Killua chimed in, "About your dad." The start of his sentence didn't sound good to the girl, in fact..she felt a little worried about what he was going to ask or say to her. 

"I know what happened with your dad and Gon told me you've been having problems with being recognized by people. If you knew what was going to happen and you're clearly not into it, why did you come with us anyway?"

The question made the girl's eyes widen for a moment. Why? Well it should have been obvious, she has to be here for them. Or well...maybe she could have stayed at home and watched their fights, but..where's the fun in that? "I just wanted to," was all that left her mouth. She wanted to say more but she had to think about it for a moment. She was picking words so that she doesn't all of a sudden spill what's going on with her.

"You guys are my friends. Of course I want to go with you guys. I can't just stay home all the time. It's already okay with my uncle that I go here anyway. I can push past the recognition, I'll be fine."

"I know something's up, but I don't know what that is. It'll be helpful if you told us what's going on with you. You're clearly uncomfortable with something. It has to be more than recognition you know." 

Killua kept poking her with words, his eyes attentive on her facial expression. He showed his concern through the weirdest ways possible. At least with Gon it was a little easier to understand. Speaking of the boy, he started to piece it together, finding that they were in a super weird position. She was hiding something. Something other than being recognized by the public worried her. Recognition was a clue to what it was, but being recognized by what or who would be blank to the boys. 

"It's just being recognized that's the problem. Nothing more, nothing less." (Y/n)'s answer was short, which was...unsatisfying for Killua. He wanted more than that. He actually..wanted answers. This was another thing that she was keeping a secret. The whole magic thing in the exam was already resolved. This secret..just replaced the magic thing. 

Before Killua could ask more, he felt a nudge coming from Gon, almost asking him not to bug her about it anymore. With a sigh, Killua looked away and pinched the bridge of his nose. Right. The last time he prodded her with questions, she got fussy and Gon had to stop him before things could get worse. 

Silence surrounds the three teens as they all waited for someone to say something. The albino was the one that broke their silence. "There's something about Zushi that I can't point out. There's just..well..there were some bad vibes to him. There's nothing with him, he's clearly talented but..there's something weird about him."

Gon and (Y/n) looked at each other before sparing glances at their friend. "Weird?" they asked in unison.

"Something about..Ren? I dunno what that is. I overheard Wing and Zushi talking about it. It seems like a serious thing." 

Oh..that thing! (Y/n) knows what that is! And it was clear on her face that she knew. Killua's eyebrow twitched up as he looked at his female companion, a frown still stuck on his face.

"You know something about it?"

"Yeah. It's something related to nen. Ya know..the _magic_ stuff that you've been bugging me about."

It was now Killua and Gon's turn to look at her with wide eyes. "You mean...Zushi knows your magic?"

"I can't say," (Y/n) mumbled, "but since they talked about Ren, I can say that he's probably practicing it. I'm surprised he didn't use nen during his previous fights. You mentioned that he gave you bad vibes? That's..well..that's probably Ren."

The albino was now filled with more questions, now more about her weird magic and not about herself or what she had been worried about. The whole problem with recognition and the female's feelings about it were now in another part of her mind. Now Killua was focused more on learning about nen. Gon was curious too but he seemed more clueless than his friend. 

"Care to tell us about it?" 

"Nope!"

"Why not?"

"Because I can't really explain it."

Killua leaned back, a sigh coming from his mouth. His head dipped low, feeling more unsatisfied with her answers. What a bummer! First she says she knows about it bu she can't explain it. Just..how hard is it to explain her magic thing? Maybe it's a little more complicated than Killua thought. Ah..that means he actually has to do research? What if he doesn't wanna? He has to at some point.

The male kicked the floor before he shook his head. He looked to his friends before speaking. "We're going to the top floor. That's our new plan."

"Right!" Gon cheered back, a smile stuck to his face. The boys looked to their female friend who looked a little hesitant about the new change of plans. Still, she spared them a smile before nodding. If that's their plan then they'll sure pull through with it!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " We need a little more time. " 

(Y/n) leans back, sitting on a bench to her liking as she watched the tv screen that was a few meters away from her. Silently she sipped her drink, feet swinging back and forth as she kept her eyes stuck on the screen of color. She was impressed by how her friends were getting by in the tower. Jeez what floor were they on now? Floor ninety-something. The nen user can't remember what, nor was she even paying attention. With the steady flow of income coming in, it was hard to focus on anything else. 

The rush of getting more money was getting to her head, it made the girl wonder if this is what her father felt when he was in this tower. The old man didn't seem like the type but..perhaps at the start. No no, she shouldn't think ill of her father. The things that her uncle told her proved a theory different than the one she had in her mind. Papa would have been here for the thrill of fighting people, not just the money. 

Even if (Y/n) was focused on the tv screen, she knew what was going on around her. People stared at her as if she was some sort of anomaly, which..she actually is to the regulars in the area. Some even tried to approach her but they would step back soon after. She didn't spare them a glance, nor did she mind their presence, they just..stepped off. Fortunately for her, no one has asked for her autograph, nor did the press enter the building to come looking for her.

There was a handful of people that tried to talk to her, though they were met with short responses like "Sure, that's me," and "Yeah, no thanks." A few asked for her autograph as they recognized her, due to her complicated past with the tower. She hesitantly complied, though, it was..more of a rushed signature than the fancy ones. 

Other than small interactions with fighters in the building, nothing too eventful happened with the girl when she's alone. People knew to back off and away, as they should. Frankly, she just..doesn't really want to talk to people right now. The ones that could strike a conversation with her all the time were Gon and Killua. Maybe Zushi can pitch in a few ideas here and there, but she won't really..outright talk to him just yet. 

(Y/n) stood up from her seat as soon as she saw that both Killua and Gon had finished their fights. She dusted the seat she was on, making sure the next person to sit there was comfortable with it, before leaving the hallway. She tossed her drink in a bin that was place parallel to her direction. She knew better than to leave trash out in the hallways. The girl had respect for the workers here and she doesn't want to give them a hard time. 

Both the black haired male and the albino were in view, walking from different exits. They talked to each other, speaking of how their fights went, before they spotted a familiar friend walking in the distance. There was a smile on Gon's face as he sped up in (Y/n)'s direction, Killua follow closely. Not everyone could tell but the short lived smile that was on the albino's face was bright. It was easy to tell that they were happy to see each other.

"You know how many times the announcer says compliments to you guys?" (Y/n) giggled, her hands lightly patting her friends' shoulders, "I've lost count on how many times I've heard _'Gon goes again with his powerful shove'_ or _'Killua's back again with his lightly fast chop!'_ "

Killua looked at his friend, snickering to himself. "I think we have a fan, Gon." 

Gon looked to his friend, standing in the middle. His auburn eyes watch as a giggle leaves the female's mouth. "I think we're all fans of each other, Killua."

"Yeah!" (Y/n) chirped, "We gotta support each other ya know! Through thick and thin! We gotta have each other's back!" The girl lightly patted their backs. Her hands retreat to grab the straps of her backpack. Soft humming leaves the female teen as she looked at her friends, smiling. "We should head to the counter to get our goods. I'm sure we've earned enough to get something good for us. I can probably buy something for my uncle once we start to go outside."

Killua arched a brow, his icy blue eyes connecting with a warm (e/c) pair. "You haven't been there yet? Figured you went there first while we had our own matches."

"Nah...I thought about you guys and figured that I had enough time to sit back and relax, ya know, rest up a bit. I did come out of a fight earlier, ya know, I gotta get back that little piece of energy back." (Y/n) pushed some of her loose hair back. Her steps synced with both Gon and Killua, though she doesn't mean to. "Besides, I don't think your matches take that long anyway.You guys get clean hits all the time, almost always a knockout or out of the ring sort of deal. Figured it wouldn't take you long to get back to the hallway and meet up to get the prize money."

The albino shrugged his shoulders, nodding. His hands stuffed themselves in his pockets as they continued to make their way to the counter. "Makes sense, I suppose."

The lady at the counter for this floor was seen soon. She wore a bright smile on her face, though they doubt that she was eager to see them. She just worked here, she probably just has to wear a smile all the time. The trio approached her, with the same expressions on their faces. Or well..two of the three held the same look on their face. Killua, per usual, had a neutral frown on his features. 

"Your prize money and keys to your rooms! You're welcomed to the 100th floors!" The lady behind the glass window chirped. Her hand moves to show them the elevator they were supposed to take. "I hope you all keep fighting! Please, enjoy the rooms we've prepared!" With that said, the party split up, leaving the lady at the counter to handle whoever was waiting to go and talk to her. 

There was an obvious glimmer in the eyes of the trio as they eagerly went to the elevator. Of course, (Y/n) had lived in the tower before, but never down in the 100th floor. Always at the top of the tower she stayed with her caretaker while her father did his work. There would be a difference in hospitality on different floors. The 100th floor rooms probably operated like a hotel room, with adequate service. Not as good as the treatment all the way at the top.

(Y/n) hummed again, softly, to herself as she let the two boys talk among themselves. During the short elevator ride, while she kept herself silence, the girl thought about things. First, she had a thought about her uncle, and how he would probably be watching the broadcasts of the fighters. He would be paying attention to her fights and eventually she'll get a call from him..in her room. They'll evaluate things that she needs to improve, things a teacher would say to their student. 

The female was suppose to think of other things...but the elevator ride cut her short. The doors opened to introduce the trio to the new floor of fighters. Some looked at them like they were fresh meat. They were eyed down, mostly the girl, though (Y/n) didn't seemed bothered. Too much anyway. Killua noticed the attention, but Gon was a little too oblivious to what was going on. He didn't think much of it. He figured that it might have been because of their sudden rise to the top floors. 

The keys that were given to the party of teens led to rooms that were next to each other. Gon's room was in the center of both (Y/n)'s and Killua's. Hers was to the left, while the other was to the right. The nen user pulled the key to her room from her pocket, waving to her friends to say that she has to put her stuff away. With a quick nod from the two, they enter separate places, though naturally the female was going to theirs soon.

A cool breeze blows towards her, giving her skin cold kisses, making her shiver upon contact. Was there was a way to turn down the air condition in this place or was it already set for her? If there was no way to change the temperature then she'll surely freeze to death. Well never mind that..(Y/n) has to get used to her small, comfortable room. Rooting back to her memories, the room was super small compared to her old home.

Instead of the walls having gold carvings and a large bed, with an extra room, the wallpaper was a nice dark brown, almost..auburn color to it. The bed was twin, or at least (Y/n) thinks it is, with white sheets and a few pillows. There was a phone to the side, a lamp, side room that leads to a bathroom. It looked a lot like a regular hotel room. 

The girl placed her belongings on the bed, herself included, and stretched. She then took in a deep breath. For a moment, things were still. It was calm with the silence. (Y/n) could only hope her experience in this tower could stay this long. She knew to keep her expectations low, when it came to this town, this city, this tower. There was trouble here, and she knew to expect it. But at least give her some time to relax in a building she grew up with her father.

Her time of tranquility would be cut short on her own terms as she pushed herself off of the bed. She took the key she had placed on the bedside table and left the room. Of course (Y/n) knew to lock the door behind her. She looked around the hallway, eyeing to see if anyone was a threat to her. Luckily for her, it was empty. She figured that people were enjoying their time or they were out brawling with other contenders. The girl didn't think much of it, nor did she care, and she went to knock on Gon's door. 

Killua went to grab the door, excusing himself from his friend, so he could let in the other in. He spared her a short smile before closing the door behind her. Gon called her over so she could sit on the bed with him while Killua sat in a chair. Backwards, if one might add. His arms were placed atop the backrest of the chair, leaning rocking back and forth.

"I'm sure I don't have to explain to you why we can't stay here in the 100th floors," the albino mumbled, "You already know the deal, don't you."

"I know the little luxury the place can offer. It's a little better than what basic hotels have to offer. People want to stay here so they fight hard. It's honestly the same with the higher floors. Fight to stay in a place. Some people even stall their stay here, doing whatever they need to do to stay here." (Y/n) spared her friends a smile. Her hands lightly tap on the soft cushion of the male's bed, her legs bringing themselves so she could get a little more comfortable. 

"Right. Naturally you want to make sure that you're not gonna get fooled by those people," Killua spoke, "They're not that hard to beat though. Since we're aiming for the bigger leagues, we can just push our way through."

(Y/n) and Gon looked at each other and nodded. "Right," they both said. The trio talked among themselves, talking about what they need to do. Eventually they all shared the same idea of just fighting a bit more so they could go to the 200th floors of the building. It'll be easy, surely, to get to the top. They've showed their skills off to the lower floors, it won't be hard anyway.

And the party of teens were right! It didn't take them that long to easily beat up the contenders. They bulldozed their way through each fight, each proving that they were worthy enough to get to the 200th floors. The chances of them going to the tip top to face the champion? Well..there is a little doubt there. They might need extra training...a lot of extra training that is. 

The teens chatted among themselves, lightly laughing at their experience here in the tower so far. A hum leaves the girl as she looked at the two males she stood beside. "By the way..I saw Zushi on Tv. Just before they aired your fight, they showed clips of what was happening to the other floors below," (Y/n) spoke, smiling, "He's doing well for himself. He's still on the 50th floor though."

"Oh!" Gon chirped, "I thought he would have gotten up to the 100ths by now. Hearing that he's only in the 50th floor makes me feel weird. Should we go visit him or something?" The black haired male turned his head to the side, trying to look at the different expressions of his friend. The nen user agreed with the idea, as she had a smile on her face, though Killua looked a little. Well he couldn't necessarily make up what his friend feels right.

A mix of irritation and..something else. Gon can't put a finger on it.

"You know, speaking of Zushi," Killua started off, "That does remind me of something. Something about what he said a couple of hours ago." The tall albino shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked down, his icy blue eyes glaring at the white floor. "I'm positive that's what my brother used on me back at the exam. I dunno..I know I can prove it, but..I swear it's like that."

(Y/n) and Gon blinked at each other then looked at Killua at the same time. Something about what he said, not being able to prove it such, made the girl think about something. She knew how to use nen, she could probably try it out here and see if it is actually ren that made him freak out. With a soft nudge, the nen user looked up at her white haired friend, smiling. "Might I suggest something small? I would need to do it in your room. We can't do it here in public, other people might get ticked off about it."

Killua arched a brow. He spared a glance at the other male, trying to figure out if he was in on whatever the girl was thinking. Clearly Gon was as confused as he is, so there's no point asking him. As he turns his gaze back at (Y/n), he sees the girl's annoyed expression.

"Look you wanna know if ren is the thing that ticked you off right?" (Y/n) mumbled, "I feel like you're forgetting that I know how to use nen."

"Oh..right..that." Killua muttered. He looked away then nodded. "I don't understand why you can't just do it here right now. I don't understand why you didn't wanna tell us that earlier too!" His blue eyes paired with (e/c) hues, seeing the little annoyance that built up in her chest. It's a little funny seeing her get fussy like this. For some reason..he just..likes it. Man..having friends is weird.

"I've already said it and I'll say it again. Ren can affect certain people and I don't wanna make other people here uncomfortable. Having a closed area make ren stronger, or at least for me, because I don't have to focus on anything else other than you guys." (Y/n) crossed her arms as she looked up at her friends. "For the last one! I said I didn't know how to explain it! You never asked for a demonstration did you?"

"I did not. But still-"

"Nope! You can't say anything Killua."

(Y/n) stuck her tongue out at the male, causing the other to do the same. With a sigh, the girl looked at her friends before shaking her head. "We need to get going, before people start to look at us weird. If you guys don't wanna walk all the way back to the room, we can just do it in a more secluded part of the hallway. Luckily for us, the stairs is that part of the hallway." 

The girl brought her hands to her side, with one of them calling over to her friends. She took the lead this time, walking to a part of the building that she knew people won't use. They prefer the elevators anyway, as it's easier access, but the stairs are for those who want to be extra or something. As they approach the staircase, the amount of people continued to lessen until there were only a few left in sight. Those few were far away enough to not get affected by Ren.

A hum leaves (Y/n) as she looked up at her friends. "It's fairly simple to conjure ren, if you know how to use nen. It's one of the basic principles of nen and it can branch out to thinks such as Gyo, En, or Ken." As she expected, the two were confused to what those three were. As she had been learning how to use nen for a while now, she could easily demonstrate those, but that won't be necessary. Right now she wants to use ren.

"Killua," (Y/n) spoke. Her (e/c) eyes connect with deep blues for a moment. She spared him a smile, as some sort of apology. "Sorry in advance if you get..uncomfortable." She waited for a response from him, waiting until he said that it was okay and that he expected to feel a little scared while she was doing her demonstration. With a nod from the albino, and another nod from Gon, she began to do the little experiment. 

The girl got in her position, kept herself still. Her legs were apart from each other and her arms bent on her sides. She closed her eyes and channeled her aura. Within a second she could feel it expel out of her body, forming around her. This caused her to open her eyes to look at her friends' expressions. It looked like..she expelled too much of her aura as she saw that the bystanders just a few steps away from them were getting affected by her aura. 

Dread surrounded Killua as he looked at (Y/n). His instincts caused him to jump away from the female to get away from there. Gon, on the other hand, froze up. His auburn eyes were wide as he stared at (Y/n). They couldn't see anything, but they could feel something strong around her form. This was definitely ren, and now Killua is certain that it _is_ ren that caused him to freak out back in the exam. 

Seeing as there is nothing more to do with her nen, (Y/n) made her aura collapse around her, forming back in her hands as a ball of swirling cold wind. A sweet smile appeared on her face as she crushed the orbs. The girl approached Gon, snapping her fingers in front of him to get him out of his daze. Once he looked like he was out of his mind and back to the land of the living, (Y/n) went on ahead to meet with Killua. She could tell that ren affected severely. 

"It's done, by the way," (Y/n) called out to Killua, "Do you have your answers now?"

It took a while for Killua to snap out of his cautious state. He retracted his nails back in his hands and wiped sweat off of his forehead. A sigh leaves him as he kept his head down. For some reason, now he can't look at the girl in the eyes. He felt..fear..earlier. And it was clear that her aura is stronger than Zushi's because his didn't make him this much fear in a while. It could combat the amount that his brother had back in the exam.

"First things first, I think you used ren a little too much," Killua spat, "and second, I know what caused me to freak out back in the hunter exam. So...Thank you...I guess. For helping out." The words _thank you_ were stuck in his throat for a couple of seconds. His hesitation to say those words root from his past, his family really. It felt nice though, to say it to someone that clearly he was comfortable with. 

The girl nodded her head, smiling from ear to ear. "Of course. Anything to help a friend make up his mind."

Gon walked to where his friends were, looking at them so he could get a clue on what to do next. (Y/n) and Killua looked at each other, then at the tall black haired male. A thought appeared in the girl's mind as her gaze changed between her two friends. Well clearly she couldn't teach nen, and it was obvious that Killua was interested in learning about nen earlier. He talked about ren a lot, for the past few rounds. Gon might be interested too!

Problem is, (Y/n) can't teach them nen but there is certainly another person that could! And that person was all the way down at the 50th floors, fighting their way up to the top of the building. 

Speaking of the plan that (Y/n) came up with, the trio took the elevator down to the floor where Zushi was staying at. They met up with the white robed male, talking about nen and such. Zushi was a little surprised that they came to him asking about it! Of course the male was happy to tell about the basics, but of course the explanation was as _noneducational_ to both Gon and Killua. The only person that got those was (Y/n) and she already knew how to use nen. 

(Y/n) noticed a familiar figure appear at the outer edge of her eyesight. Black hair, black rimmed glasses, piercing grey eyes. Wing had appeared behind Zushi, calling out to him. The words that came out of his mouth after felt like he was scolding Zushi for talking about nen. The girl couldn't understand why he would be a little..upset with him saying the basics of nen. Her eyes never left the sight of the male, watching him as he talked with Killua about the matter. 

The back and forth conversation between Wing and Killua ended up with the teacher bringing them to his hotel room to demonstrate ren further. There was no need to use ren again, as (Y/n) had shown her friends before, but if they so wanted to see it again, the girl will follow. Entering a small hotel room, just a few blocks away from the arena, the trio meet up with Wing and Zushi. 

Wing's lesson on the basic of nen is almost like an introduction, but mostly to Gon and Killua. This lesson felt more like a rerun of old lessons that her uncle taught her. Humming softly to herself, (Y/n) took the time to look around the room. There wasn't much, as she had expected. It really is just a regular hotel room. Continuing back to the lesson, (Y/n) connected her eyes with Wing again.

It was the start of the demonstration, and (Y/n) made it in time not to get startled by the sudden rush of aura. The girl looked unfazed by the aura, but clearly Gon and Killua were affected by it. Especially the white haired one. He was gone from the duo's side. Kilua clung on to a corner of the ceiling, sticking like a spider waiting for its prey. Except..this spider was filled with anxiety and fear. With wild, wide eyes, Killua's icy blues glare at Wing. Sweat runs down his forehead as he kept himself still.

Seeing as the effect certainly scared the kid, Wing collapsed his aura. He surveyed the area, finding Zushi unaffected by the sudden wave of strong aura. (Y/n) also had done the same, which made Wing think about something. It was to be expected of someone who's the..child of a champion. Obviously her father did not get up there by himself. It was obvious that there was nen involved. Not a single can grow a plant extremely fast with just dirt and a couple of seeds in their hand.

A soft sigh leaves the teacher as he shook his head and smiled at (Y/n). This sight made her fight or flight responses activate, tensing up. Slowly she'll lose her guard. It was just normal for her to do raise her defenses, especially after experiencing ren that powerful. It was, if not, the same amount as her uncle could expel from his body. You could say she was used to that much due to her proper training. Still..Wing is someone she cannot mess with. The girl knows..she's way under his level.

(E/c) eyes look up at where Killua was hanging. (Y/n) watched him fall down on to the floor. He tried to shake off the feelings, obviously, but clearly he was still afraid of Wing's Ren. The girl beckoned her friend to come closer, gently grabbing his wrist so he could be beside them again. She lightly patted his shoulders as a form of comfort. 

Wing watches closely at their interactions, finding the girl's piercing gaze at him. He only spared her a smile before beginning to explain what Ren is. A hum leaves him as he walked around the area, surveying the trio's expressions. The ones who don't know nen much were amazed by his explanation, but the girl in the middle's glare intensified. She was clearly catching on, and this shows that..she paid attention to her teacher.

Or..she naturally just knew it.

With the new found _knowledge,_ the trio walked out of Wing's apartment, leaving them alone to do whatever they need to back at the hotel. (Y/n) kept herself close to her friends, as the outside wasn't at all that safe for her. She tried to keep herself hidden, knowing that a particular person would find her out here. Be it...that weird older lady Seraphina or..someone else. The girl shudders at the thought of running into that particular person.

Memories were hitting her hard, but something cut her off before her mind could wander all the way back there. Killua softly nudged (Y/n)'s shoulder, causing her to snap out of whatever it was in her mind. The girl was confused about her friend's sudden action, though she finds that they had been talking for a while now. She wasn't...paying attention, like she should have been. 

"You've been busy with something...again..." Killua mumbled, "What's on your mind?"

Gon looked at Killua, thinking about it for a moment. Guess he wasn't the only one who noticed that (Y/n) hasn't been paying attention. A hum leaves the black haired male as he waited for a response from the female.

"You guys get worried about me a lot, you know that?" (Y/n) laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing's in my mind. I guess..I just think about stuff a lot."

"You know you're bad at lying too," Killua scoffed, "Seriously you haven't been paying attention to us since we left that hotel room. What's up?"

"Don't think we didn't notice, (Y/n)! You should know I'm very good at looking at other people's faces!" Gon chirped, getting a little heated. A huff comes from him when he heard the other two laugh.

The nen user shrugged her shoulders, smiling at her two friends. She could feel stress lift off of her shoulders as they all talk to each other. She felt..comfortable around them. She certainly trusts them enough to keep her guard down. "Anyway, what's happening between the both of you."

Killua then proceeded to explain the situation, how Wing was lying, how Zushi didn't get down when he used ren. He thinks there was something up with that, and obviously (Y/n) could understand why he was a little irritated. The girl knows Wing was lying and she knew what ren is used for. Though..did she have the energy to explain right now?

Nah...well..maybe..if they were persistent enough to ask her.

"So...there's gotta be something more! Ren isn't all about expelling aura like that, right?" Killua looked at (Y/n) as if she has the answers. Which..she actually does though before she could speak, a yawn leaves her mouth. She was tired, but clearly they had to do more fighting for the night. By the end of night, they'll probably get to the 200th floor. Which..means new rooms!

"Yeah..you're right about that. Ren isn't all about that stuff," she shrugged her shoulders, "There's more to it! Other than expelling large amounts of aura, it fortifies another person or it strengthens a part of them. That's the simplest way I can put it..or that's what my uncle told me at least."

Killua's eyes widen, expressing joy when getting his answer. "That's gotta be it then!" the albino squeaked, "thanks!" For the first time in forever, his thank you didn't sound too distant. He lightly patted the girl's shoulder, causing her to laugh. Gon looked at the two and smiled brightly, including himself in their antics. "We should get dinner before we head back inside yeah? There's a lot of stuff we gotta get through! Just 10 more floors we gotta get through."

The other two looked at each other and nodded, agreeing that they should probably refuel before the next couple of fights. The trio looked around town, trying to find a good restaurant to eat at. They had enough money on them to get a decent meal. After just a few seconds of walking, they eventually found a good place to eat at. 

For a moment, everything felt normal for the three. They chatted like how they did when they were back in the cafeteria in the airship. This moment of tranquility reminded them of their old adventures in the hunter exam, and so they talked about that for a while. They dined, laughed, talked, other things one can do in a restaurant. 

Oh but don't think that (Y/n) goes by unnoticed. The waiters and other people around saw her appearance and immediately word was around. The girl didn't think much of it at first, as she didn't want to confront anyone about the matter, but...the sudden flash of lights caught her attention. Sitting by a window seat..was a really bad idea. The paparazzi were here and they flashed their cameras at her. It caused a scene that even (Y/n) couldn't handle. 

To avoid all of this, the girl stood up and looked down immediately. It was almost an instinct of hers. The sudden buzzed caused her to think about her father and her past. It made stress pile up around her shoulders again, causing her to turn her back towards the window. Gon and Killua didn't hesitate to follow her, as this...was weird behavior coming from her. They guessed they should have expected this. 

The black haired boy pulled out a few bills from his pocket to pay for the unfinished meal, rushing out of the establishment after Killua and (Y/n). One could hear the girl's huffing and puffing, indicating that she had an unpleasant time in the area. There was something bothering her. Something in her mind..has been bothering her. 

One, the press wasn't here earlier, nor was everyone around. The restaurant wouldn't have contacted anyone about a customer, as they had to value their privacy. What caused the paparazzi to come around here anyway? Did someone call them here? Before she could fully think about it in her mind, (Y/n) spots a figure in the corner of her eye. Familiar pair of (e/c) eyes, a similar hair color to her's. 

No..it couldn't be.

"We need to get to the tower back, fast," (Y/n) mumbled. The two boys looked at each other, but they didn't ask questions. They valued their friend's feelings more than the questions they had in their mind. Gon and Killua nodded and quickened their pace. The towering building was just around the corner, they could get around just fine under this darkness. 

Dim streetlights illuminate their path back to Heaven's arena and soon they reached their destination. Pushing the doors open, the trio were met with a cool breeze that came from the building's air conditioning system. The cold that surrounded the room made (Y/n) ease up a little bit. With a final heave coming from her, the girl wiped the sweat that ran down her forenead. She had no idea..that she was freaking out back there. 

A laugh came from (Y/n) as she tried to ignore whatever it was she felt back there. "I'm sorry. I was just in a rush to come back here. We should..definitely go back to fighting."

"Not until you tell us first what happened back there. You were completely fine with the flashing cameras but something changed. Clearly you saw something back there. And you know it's a little obvious when you're panicked." Killua crossed his arms, his eyes piercing a (e/c) pair. 

"Yeah..I noticed it too! But I didn't try to think much about it because..I didn't want to worry you or something," Gon chimed in, his hands connecting behind his back. He rocked side to side, waiting for a response from their friend. Their gaze never left her form, rather, it stayed on longer when nothing left her mouth.

(Y/n) knew she can't hide anything from them, knowing that she was unable to keep her secret about her father and her past. Believe her, she would love to tell them about _her_ but something was stopping her. Could it be..hesitation? Fear? The girl couldn't pin point the feeling she felt in her chest. Slowly she nodded to her friends, keeping her head down as she softly spoke.

"I saw my aunt."

Her words were simple and the boys didn't expect that to leave her mouth. They figured it was that weird lady again that she saw back there. But then again..it couldn't be her because that woman had a piercing white eyes. The boys guessed that her aunt was a bad person, which is why she got anxious and panicked when she saw her. Gon didn't want to press her for more questions, but clearly Killua did. Though..he was keeping himself silent. A sigh comes from the two before they nodded again.

"We should get going then and finish the remaining floors. It'll be easy, surely. It won't take a while," Killua mumbled. He pushed his bangs back, having them fall back after. A sigh of relief leaves him as he looked away from the two. He was the first to lead his friends back to the arenas the building up. They took the elevator up and signed up for more matches. This eventually landed them a spot in the 200th floors. 

Though the two passed by like a breeze, the same couldn't be said for the girl. Sure the opponents here were quite easy, and she managed to pass by, but she clearly lost enthusiasm for fighting. (Y/n) was clearly paranoid about something. After seeing her aunt again, she knows that she'll frequent the area so they could _talk._ She doesn't want that. That's actually the last thing she wants right now. A sigh leaves the girl, shaking her head while she stands in the elevator with Gon and Killua.

"You're really out of it..are you actually okay..?" Gon asked. He tilted his head to the side, his hand lightly patting his friend's shoulder. The girl gave him a nod, saying that she was, but obviously there was something wrong. Even if the three weren't able to watch each other's matches, the energy coming from (Y/n) was different from theirs. 

Gon looked to Killua, trying to see if he could propose an idea to help her, but honestly he was just as clueless as him. The black haired boy shook his head. He tried his best not to get too occupied with the idea of helping (Y/n) at the moment. What if she needed space..what if that's all she needs. He can provide her that, if that's what she wanted.

Reaching the 200th floor, the trio could immediately feel a heavy prescence among them. A heavy bloodlust..one could only combat this feeling when they have learned at least the basics of nen. Luckily for (Y/n), she has already trained for this. She can't say the same for her friends however. With a heavy aura covering her form, preventing the energy from affecting her, she could move on. But she didn't want to. Not when Killua and Gon clearly can't move forward.

Despite their words, saying that they can trudge forward, and they could make it through the hallway, they were stuck in their place. (Y/n) was the only one in the bunch that could actually move, but she kept her place as to not overwhelm her friends. "You're going to hurt yourselves," the girl warned them, her hands immediately grabbing their wrists to pull them back. "My aura can only do so much." She covers them with wind, but it wouldn't be enough for them to move forward together.

Killua was getting ticked off, his brows furrowing. He expressed his annoyance by yelling at whoever was around the corner to show themselves. It turns out it was one of the attendees at the arena. She worked at the front counter. Anyone can recognized that uniform from anywhere. 

The older woman smiled at the trio, her finger points to the other end of the hallway she was in. "You have to register over there. You have to do so before midnight. You'll lose your chances to fight here if you don't sign up." Something about her voice caused (Y/n)'s fight or flight responses to activate. Her eyes pierce the lady, but the other could only smile. "Killua, you've been here before. You didn't even register when you got to the 200th floors. If you fail to submit your forms by the end of today, you won't be able to fight here at all."

She spoke of other things, such as how prize money will no longer be attained here. The people here fight for honor and glory, something that (Y/n) knew all too well. The kid was a daughter of a champion who did it for honor and glory, of course she would be familiar with this type of thing. Instead of walking forward, like she would have done so by now, the front desk lady stood her place. She was staring at someone behind them. 

At first, (Y/n) didn't seemed to worried about the person behind them, but feeling her friends tense up caused her to turn around. A familiar hue of pink was atop this person's head. Familiar shapes were seen on the person's pale cheeks. Sharp, cat-like eyes pierced through the girl's defense like a bullet. It was getting harder for her to keep the aura stabilized around her and her friends, but she was trying.

"Hisoka..." they all mumbled. The trio stood in place, their eyes watching the magician waltz past them. He smelled of heavy blood lust, his body reeked of evil energy. Although his movement seemed elegant, the atmosphere he had around him conveyed something different. 

"What are you doing here," Killua spat. His eyes tried to combat the sly gaze of the magician, though it was clear that he was losing. The intensity of his eyes were different than Killua's. 

A laugh springs from the clown's mouth, his head shaking as if to dismiss something. "You can't hold up anymore, you know. You should give up in protecting your friends. I know you're growing weak, (Y/n)." When her name came out of Hisoka's mouth, the girl tensed up, causing a little panic to spring in her chest. The grip around their wrists tightened, her chest almost heaving, struggling to keep a balanced pace. 

"To answer your question, I followed you here. It was easy to track you guys, as you bought the tickets online. I waited in the airport, followed you here. I had my fair share of fights here, but I was immediately placed here, to the 200th floor," Hisoka's tone sounded a little like a cat's purr. Hearing it from him didn't bring comfort, only.. _discomfort._

"Even if you have your friend here helping you, you can't move forward. Let's face it. You're not ready to be here," Hisoka spoke, sharing a sinister smile to the teens, "Now shoo. Be gone. You're not ready yet. Come back when you are." His hands motioned them to go away. (Y/n) tried her best to move her friends, but they wouldn't budge. It felt like someone super glued them. She knew that they were ready and they were only combating Hisoka's heavy aura because of her. Surely they know that too.

Footsteps echoed behind him. A familiar voice caught the trio's attention, causing them to look back. A few steps away from them was Wing. His grey gaze stared at the party of teens, his lips arched in a frown. "He's right you know," the teacher mumbled, "Don't force it. You'll only hurt yourselves in the process."

A cough comes from (Y/n), but it wasn't intense. Well not yet anyway. Her grip around her friends loosened, weakening the aura she had around them in the first place. She starts to get lightheaded, her sight getting a little hazy. Eventually she had to let go, to save herself, to make sure that she had enough energy. With the feelings she experienced earlier, her behavior right now was to be expected. She grew weak because of her panicked state. 

Gon finally had enough energy and will to move back, causing Killua to do the same. (Y/n) took a step back as well, though her movement was much slower than the others. She trailed the duo as they approached Wing. Her hands gently clasp the straps of her backpack, holding it tightly, as she tried to regain her energy. 

"Will we be able to get back here before midnight?," Killua spoke to Wing.

"That depends on you."


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " I never wanted to see her again. " 

It wasn't at all that nerve wracking for (Y/n) to come out of the tower again, but the thought of seeing that damn woman made her a little nervous. The girl kept herself close to her friends as they walked back to Wing's apartment. Zushi was nowhere to be seen, supposing that he already went home to get rest. It was only a few hours before midnight, people do need to get some sleep.

People were still outside, as to be expected. This city is known for the tower, yes, but it also has a booming nightlife. There aren't that many fights happening in the tower at this time, as fighters need to get their sleep, but there are other things that tourists can make themselves busy with. There were malls, restaurants, parks that are open late at night. Venues would be open late at night. Clubs are packed with young adults trying to enjoy themselves and bask under the moonlight. 

Unfortunately there wouldn't be time to indulge, but maybe for another night. For now, the trio has a task they need to focus on, and that's learning how to use nen.

Wing's hotel room isn't far from them now. Just a few more steps and they'll get there. But why does it feel like it'll take forever to get there? (Y/n) hummed to herself as she stuck herself closer to her friends, feeling the sick emotion of paranoia hitting her. There were alleys that were dark, perfect for people to sneak up on others.

"Wait..you can't think like that right now (Y/n). Pull yourself together," a part of the girl's brain scolded her, but clearly it wasn't getting to (Y/n). Soon enough her feelings would die down as they spot a familiar building. The warm light of the lantern embraced the girl, giving her the comfort she needed, something she didn't personally request but greatly appreciated.

Gon and Killua's movements were rushed, eager to learn about nen, while the girl faltered. The nen user hung around the door a little more scoping out the area to see if they were being followed. There was no need for her to do so, but she felt like she should. Her hand presses itself against the door frame, her (e/c) staring at the bustling streets.

Nothing. No one here looked suspicious.

With a sigh, the girl finally let herself in, bringing the door to a close. Once inside, (Y/n) sat in a chair nearby, quietly listening to Wing explain the terms of learning nen. One could learn how to use nen within six months, but that is if one is dedicated to the work. Wing's pupil, Zushi, was described to have gotten the hang of Ten within those few months. Really..it just depends on the person learning nen and how good their teacher is.

"We have no other choice but to force it in you. We don't have that much time," Wing mumbled. He softly rubbed his chin, tilting his head down to think about something. (Y/n) watched carefully, looking at her friends' backs. For a moment, she felt someone look at her. Her (e/c) eyes connect with icy blues, intent to find something. But what? The girl didn't know, or she was too oblivious to see that her friend is worried about her. 

Killua looked away from the nen user to stare at Wing. The older male proposed that he use his own nen to open up their nodes, to release aura. Though they have to be cautious, as it might be life or death on them. Instead of relaxing, like how she was earlier, (Y/n) sat up. She leans forward, her hands on her knees. The girl knew she shouldn't be nervous but the procedure seems dangerous. She was lucky enough to have learned how to use nen before coming to the arena. 

"(Y/n)," Wing called out to the girl that sat idle on a chair, "Relax. I can tell your agitated. You used your nen earlier, I'm sure you're exhausted." The older male looked at the young lady, his lips arching into a pout. "Sit back. I'm sure they can handle themselves."

"There's a possibility that they could die. How can I not be worried about them."

"I've considered that, (Y/n), and I know it, but have trust that they'll pull through. You bunch are bright kids and these two have potential to use nen. I'm sure you've seen that." A sigh comes from the black haired teacher as he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "They'll be fine. I can assure you they'll be okay. The procedure is short and it won't last long. If they manage to contain their aura, they'll be fine."

A huff of air leaves the girl's mouth as she tried to relax. (Y/n) sat back once more, her eyes watching the two males she accompanied in the hotel room. The eldest in the room told the other two to take off their jackets, leaving them with their tank tops. The girl took it upon herself to grab their coats so they're not on the floor. Gently she places the clothes on another chair, retreating to her own seat. 

Even if she's not near the three guys, she could feel Wing's strong aura. As a response, (Y/n) released hers too. It was more like it acted as a defense mechanism. Her aura was weak, like how she expected, as her energy has been depleted because of the encounter with Hisoka. The girl groans lightly to herself as she grows tired, making her drop her aura. Her hands ball up into fists, frustrated with herself that she couldn't regain her nen back. 

(Y/n) sits by herself, trying to meditate on the chair she sat on. She crossed her legs on the soft cushion and closed her eyes. While Killua and Gon are opening up their aura nodes, she'll just sit back and try to regain her energy. Compared to theirs at the moment, she would be weak. She has to pass Hisoka's gate of malice if she wants to advance and sign up for the 200th floor. 

It wouldn't take a while to regain her energy if she's focused enough. She puts all of her concentration on one thing, her nen, letting whatever around her do its thing. It wasn't her business at the moment. It would be, but Wing said not to be worried. She trusts him, and she only hopes that it was the right thing to trust him. 

The girl's eyebrows furrowed as she thought about things, her mind filling up with bothersome stuff that troubled her earlier. Thoughts about..her, that cursed woman, entered her brain. Fear, memories of manipulation, hatred; the very things that caused her to leave this town..she embodied it. Malice enters the girl, even if she didn't intend to think about it. Her head tends to wander around, despite her wishes. 

(Y/n) would open her eyes when she felt that she was threatened by an unknown force. Her aura had shifted into something that she didn't want, causing her to sweat. Dread, it was heavy around her, but she kept it concentrated around her person. Those thoughts were the problem and each passing minute she made it clear that something is up with her. Droplets trailed down her temple, her eyes wide, her lips shaking. She would soon drop everything, loosening up her tense muscles as she brings in her aura once more.

The energy rushed to her body, adrenaline pumped in her, but she sat still. The girl was quiet as she stared at the floor, contemplating about things. A sigh leaves her as she shook her head, deciding to change the things she had in her mind. She thought about positive thing instead of whatever the hell was in her brain. (Y/n)'s hands crunched into fists as she lifted her head up. She didn't realize that what she was doing caused people to come to her.

Wing, Gon, and Killua all approached her after they felt a disturbance in their training. The older male's eyes pierced through her being, his hand coming to his face to push up his glasses. He thought about her situation, her past about this area, and figured that it has something to do with the disturbance. Maybe she had seen something that she didn't want to, which caused her to be this...nervous wreck. Oh she wasn't like this before, even if she noticeably felt uncomfortable in the first days of meeting her. 

Something threatened her into acting like this, and Wing would pursue what was going on to better understand and help the girl, but...he had a feeling it was just between the three of them. If she were to ask for help on trying to calm herself, the male would be here for it, as he saw her as a excellent student. The dread she gave off was powerful and he could feel it, even if he wasn't near her. That was a sign that she had potential too, that she had her father's genes.

Killua didn't hesitate to do anything, as he grabbed her hand and gently pulled her to a stand. Or at least, as gentle as he could. His icy blues pierce through (Y/n)'s cautious and scared gaze. For a moment, he sees the same fear that he portrayed back in the hunter exam. He felt..the same when it comes to Illumi. It was the thought of someone that ticked her off to be like this, that much was certain. Nothing here posed any threat to them and yet here she was, afraid.

"You're thinking about her again, weren't you," Killua mumbled, his lips arching into a frown. His grip around her wrist loosened, letting her retract that hand back to her side. "Your aunt."

The girl looked away, her eyes closing as she took in a deep breath. She had a clear pout on her face as she kept her gaze away from her friends. The problem was getting serious to the point that Killua's asking her straight on. She could have eased the idea but the fact the threat was bothering her was major. 

Gon spared a glance towards Wing, trying to see if he was invested with the matter as well. By the looks of it, he too was concerned about her. The black haired boy then turned his gaze to his friends, mostly towards (Y/n). He knew by her reaction earlier this evening that her aunt was a bad person, but...he didn't think it would be this bad. Must..have been traumatic, or something big for her. Gon's deep auburn eyes shift to Killua, trying to get a better understanding of the issue. 

He didn't have the past that these two shared in common, but he was doing his best. He wanted to comfort his friends. That's what friends do after all.

"We're running out of time. We need to get going," (Y/n) mumbled. Her (e/c) eyes pierced through Killua's cold blues. She dodged the question, knowing that they shouldn't prioritize that right now. They don't have time for that. They can always talk about it later.

But how soon was this _"later?"_

"(Y/n)," the albino called out to his friend, his hand grabbed her wrist again, "We need to talk about this. It's serious and you're clearly getting bothered by it."

"We'll do so after we get back to the tower. I don't want to jeopardize our spot in the 200th floors because of my...problem."

Killua lets go of her, watching her stomp towards the front door. The male looked towards the other and then at the oldest one. They all knew what to do, they knew what problem they had to pursue right after they sign up for the arena. In unison, they nod to each other. A silent agreement about what needs to be done, and how they could help. Their ideas varied, as they never shared it out, but it all shared the same goal.

This wasn't just going to be on the side, it was going to take a while. They had to fix this situation before September hits.

Gon mutters his thank you and goodbye to Wing as he departs from the room. Killua merely sent a look his way before waving his hand. (Y/n) stood beside the front door, leaning against the frame as she waits for her friends to leave. Her gaze softened when she looked at Wing again. The girl spoke her farewell and left as well. 

(Y/n) kept herself close to her friends, with her head down for most of the walk there. Gon and Killua were silent, as they didn't know what to talk about. The matter between their friend and her aunt was something they needed to talk indoors. They made sure that she was concealed before cameras started flashing at them again. It wasn't hard to spot her as the streetlights and neon signs were bright enough to illuminate anyone around.

It was the least they could do.

Once they got back to the tower, everyone prepared themselves to go through the hallway Hisoka lurked in. (Y/n) tried her best not to let anything else bother her at the moment, but the thought, the memory even, of seeing her aunt again made her disoriented. Killua had to snap his fingers in front of her eyes so she could get out of her daze. She had to pay attention, focus her nen on protecting her person so they could pass that hallway. 

It wasn't hard for (Y/n) to do that. It really wasn't. The fact that she can't focus was mostly the problem here. The girl wrapped her nen around herself as she let out a sigh. They were enveloped in by their own aura, protecting themselves from the malice Hisoka gave off. They trudge together, taking steps confidently. Soon enough they passed the hallway they couldn't walk through earlier. 

"Impressive. You guys managed to get a basic grasp on Ten. Only within the span of what? A few hours?" Hisoka chuckled as he played with a stack of cards. The deck shuffled between his hands, his yellow cat like gaze watching their every move. "Dont get too cocky, by the way. Just because you managed to get a grasp on the first principle doesn't mean you're the master of nen." A low hum leaves the male's mouth as he began to stand up. 

The trio was quiet as they listened to the clown talk. They were paying attention, their eyes attentive on the slender male's form. Their lips pursed into a deep frown. 

"You simply aren't ready yet," Hisoka cooed, his hand pushing strands of his hair back, "but if you do beat someone in this floor, I might reconsider." A sly smirk decorates the rosy skinned male's face. He starts his strut forward, his hand waving a short goodbye to the bunch. The pink haired magician was clearly impressed by their progress, but he should have expected it. He wasn't too surprised by the girl, as he already knew she was a nen user, but the other two..were a different story.

"Even if I'm not directly interacting with him..he's still a little weird for me," (Y/n) mumbled, her hand gently rubbing her arms for comfort, "but...we should move forward. The sign-up booth is just up ahead." The girl took the lead this time, taking a step forward before immediately halting. 

Something barred their movement of moving forward, which caused their immediate stop. Three curious males hindered their progress by standing in front of them. This disturbance caused the younger three to frown at them. 

"Are these the new guys?" One of them said. The other replied with "Looks like," while another laughed. They proceed to mumble to each other, taunting the younger bunch as they stood stuck on their position. 

(Y/n) sent them a glare, getting impatient with standing and waiting around for the three to move. Their intimidation tactics won't work on them, that's for sure, and they most certainly won't harm them like Hisoka's malice. A sigh leaves the girl as she took a step forward with Gon and Killua following. The three didn't budge, but they smiled at her confidence.

"I expected her to be here," one of them mumbled, "Everyone has high expectations for her, she's meeting them quiet well." The other two nodded their heads, agreeing with the first male to speak. They may seem to be a little quiet about the words, but they made it obvious that they wanted her to hear. The longer she stayed in this hallway, the hotter her emotions burned. 

They got the reaction they wanted from the girl, a clear expression of anger was portrayed on her features. Her hands were curled up into fists as she stared at them, her eyes piercing their forms. They shared a smirk towards the younger trio before they dispersed to sleep in their rooms. The three strange men made way for the bunch of teens, letting them progress forward.

(Y/n) mumbled cuss words to herself as she walked forward. Her hands gently rub her arms, trying to comfort herself and release some steam. After that short interaction, they moved to the booth.

"Don't listen to them. They're not worth your time," Killua spoke. His words were towards the female that was clearly frustrated. The girl nodded in response, later saying that it wasn't bothering her. But clearly one thing they said did. They changed positions again, this time they all walked side by side to the sign up booth. 

"You're not very good at lying, you know," the albino said, his eyes still on her. The comment went by her head, as she mostly focused on signing up for the 200th floors. (Y/n) was trying her best not to let anything get her anymore, even if the thought of her aunt was lurking in the back of her mind. Her hands loosened, her body relaxing afterwards.

Gon doesn't tend to whisper things to Killua whenever (Y/n) was around, mostly because he was worried that the girl was thinking that they were conspiring against her. Well it happened the last time didn't it? There's no saying when they'll do it again. The male was fighting the urge to tell Killua his thoughts about the situation, about how they gotta do what they need to do.

They have to talk and knowing the girl, she's not much of a talker when it comes to her problems. Sure she'll start talking about it, but this matter is something they can't make her say out of the blue, or in a conversation. Her answer about her aunt was short, quick, as if she doesn't want to talk about that woman at all.

Before words could be exchanged between the two males, they approached the booth they were supposed to be at. There stood a lady behind the counter, waiting for people to sign up before it's time for staff to rest. Her hands delicately tap on the wooden desk that was in front of her. The woman fixed her posture and put on a smile, greeting the bunch of teenagers before her.

"Welcome!" the woman greeted the teens and then introduced herself. Excitement was clear in her features as she connected eyes with a female that was with the two boys. The front desk lady suddenly moved forward to get a closer look at (Y/n). The sudden movement didn't faze her, rather she sort of expected it. With the giddiness the woman held in her system, she was bound to explode. 

Though..it was a little weird as to why the older female was..exploding with excitement. (Y/n) arched her brow only to shake her head and dismiss thoughts in her mind. The trio lets the lady do whatever she wants to do. She rambled about the section they were in, talked and explained the terms for the 200th floors. There was no real reason for (Y/n) to listen to her, as she mostly knew about the floors and their different qualifications, but an explanation was needed for her friends.

The 200th floors worked like some sort of arena of their own, instead these battles are scheduled. This area worked like a tournament, where a person has to win 10 matches in order to advance. If they lose a battle four times, they are disqualified and asked to restart from the bottom. The lady says that fighters can schedule their fights in her booth and they can either take the match now or they could wait around 90 days. Those two months can be used to prepare for fights, as no one in this floor is willing to give up. 

The talk about winning battles then escalates to the woman talking about being a floor master. She then says how one can challenge a floor master and take their floor. The floor master can then go up to the very top of the tower to fight in the battle olympia. One can become a champion there, and one can obtain their fame easily. 

(Y/n) thought more about the rambling that came from this woman, how greatly she talked about the arena and its fights. She then realizes that the giddiness the front desk lady showed was well..because that she was here. She must have been a fan of her father's. Of course..why didn't she think about that earlier? A sigh leaves the nen user as she shook her head. It was getting harder for her to realize the simplest things. Things were occupying her mind, it was getting harder to think.

Maybe it really is time...to talk about the problems that constantly reappeared in her mind. It's only been a few hours since the incident and here she is thinking about it too much.

The girl never thought that she was in her head again, until she felt her friends give her a nudge. A hum leaves her mouth as she looked around, finding stares on her person. Oh..she has to sign up now huh. Something feels a little off, which caused the (h/c) haired girl to turn her head. She finds the three guys from earlier. They stood behind them, menacingly. Looks like they wanted to fight them. 

"You gotta sign up, (Y/n)," Gon spoke, smiling, "Don't mind those people. They're just there to see the dates we're signing up for." A hum comes from the black haired boy as he waited for his friend to sign up.

With a nod, the girl grabbed the paper and checked for the " _any day_ " box. She didn't care what she'll get, hell she doesn't really mind the people that want to fight her. The three guys behind them probably want to see if she could fight or not. She'll gladly show them, if they managed to get a fight with her. Who knows..maybe she'll land a battle with someone else. (Y/n) shrugged her shoulders and pulled on the straps of her backpack.

The lady behind the booth pulled out three keys, one for each kid. Once given, the trio looked at each other and then at their keys. They're rooms weren't far from each other but they weren't side by side. That's fine. They could still see each other anyway.

(Y/n) pushed loose strands of her hair away from her face before turning around. She finds that the three guys were still there. A sigh leaves her mouth again before walking forward, pushing past the men that were interested in fighting them. No words were exchanged between the younger trio and the older bunch, just a few glances and glares. The girl pulled on her backpack straps again, a pout appearing on her features.

"We're done with the sign up process," Killua started off, "We gotta talk about the thing that's been bothering you the whole night." 

The nen user knew that it'll eventually segway into this, even if she didn't want to talk about it. The matter was impossible to pass, as they were in the caution zone, or at least that's what (Y/n) calls it. She can't avoid the problem now, especially if the problem knows that she's going to stay here for a while.

The girl's eyebrows furrowed, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. She grabs the key to her room from her pocket, unlocking the place she would be staying at. "I know it's serious. I can't avoid it anymore, but we have to talk in my room." (Y/n) beckons her friends to follow her, closing the door behind them and locking it tight. 

Gon and Killua looked at each other before they spared a glance towards their friend. Killua knew from the start that the thing with her aunt was something big. He understood, he knew the feeling. It was something similar to what he felt about Illumi. The albino was wondering if it was the same case with her, or just..something similar in general. He felt like there was something missing. Might it be that she has mentioned this family member before? Or..was he thinking about something else?

Whatever he was thinking, it didn't matter, as she was about to talk about it right now. 

Gon sat on the fluffy bed, his eyes looking around at the decor that livened the place. It was better decorated than the rooms they stayed in yesterday. Looks like they really do treat people up here better. There's probably room service if he called through the telephone! This luxury was something new to the black haired boy and he would revel in it for as long as he could, but he can't. Gon's gotta pay attention to whatever (Y/n) was gonna talk about. 

(Y/n) took in a deep breath as she looked at her friends. She finds that Gon made himself comfortable on the bed, while Killua grabbed a chair from the nearby vanity and placed himself near the end of the bed. The girl stood upright, her eyebrows arched to show a little worry and fear she displayed earlier in the evening.

"What's the deal with your aunt?" Killua asked. He was always the one that asked questions, the one that's mostly the conversation starters when it comes to heavy atmospheres. "Is it something like..with me..and Illumi? Or something different?" He continued, though he stopped to let the girl speak.

"She is the very reason why I left this place, despite the fact I have history with the city. I ran away from her. I did what you did Killua," (Y/n) mumbled, "I didn't want to see her again so I was a little hesitant to be here. I was anxious about being found out because _she_ was going to find me." Cracks were evident in her voice, indicating the heavy stress she feels when talking about this person. "I never wanted to see her again. The stuff she put me through as a kid- the snotty little brats she calls her daughters- I hated them. I hated them so much."

The boys were silent, their eyes watching as (Y/n) started to shake. Was it with anger, or with fear? Her hands curled up into fists as she turned around to avoid facing her friends. The memories, the things she wanted to suppress. Heavens..this was a bad idea. This was all a bad idea. Just by thinking about the things she made her do..it made her..disgusted, resentful. Regret felt heavy in her chest, and it really showed. She took in a shaky breath, trying to muster up the confidence to talk to her friends about her aunt.

Gon looked to Killua, finding that he was still staring at her. He was processing everything, by the looks of it. The male didn't want to just sit here and watch his friend start to break down because of the topic so he took it upon himself and stood up. Quietly he approached her for a hug, his arms reaching out to his friend. The concern he feels, he feels..bad about the situation. Her backstory sounded a little close to what Killua had to endure in his childhood, but hers seemed a little more traumatic. 

(Y/n) turned around, finding that her friend was inching towards her. She sends him a smile, or at least attempted to. It would fall to a frown as she feels anxiety rile up in her chest. "It's okay Gon. I'll be fine." The male nodded, though he made sure to let her know that if she needed a hug, he was right there. She dismisses him, though she might consider the offer for a hug later.

"It's a serious matter. I should have talked about it earlier, I know." The girl sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I heard from..someone back in the exam that she put a bounty on my head or an offer to bring me back to her. I've stayed hidden from her for a while. No one has found me yet, except for that one person...and I don't know if she's here or not. She knows I'm here now and I bet she'll do anything to at least talk to me again and threaten to take me back to do her dirty bidding again." (Y/n) started pacing around the room, walking in circle as her mind tried to think about stuff.

"She's after you? Why didn't you tell us about it," Killua spoke, his eyebrows furrowing. "Hey we're helping each other out. We can help you stop this whole thing or at least try to get you away from it. What stopped you from telling us about it?"

"Because it never really came across my mind until I saw her, which is why I felt anxious earlier this evening. I should have thought about it before, I know, but I didn't because I was busy fighting and getting up into the same floors as you guys." (Y/n)'s volume rose as she felt a spike in her energy. Feelings were running wild inside her, making it hard for her to think about what to do when she faces her cursed aunt again. "I also didn't want you two to worry about it because you guys are busy with other stuff like fighting in the arena and whatnot."

"You're important to us too, (Y/n). We're your friends. Friends gotta stick up for each other." Gon voice was soft, combating the harshness that Killua displayed when he spoke. The other was clearly frustrated with the lack of communication between them, while the latter thought that they should handle this discussion delicately. The girl was clearly uncomfortable and probably feels bad about the matter. What if Killua's tone was making it worse?

Hearing that she was also their priority made (Y/n) feel..a little iffy on the inside. Even if it was supposed to sound reassuring, it made her feel bad about it. She didn't know why..maybe it was because she didn't want people worrying about her when she could take care of herself just fine. Yeah..that might be it.

She was glad, sure, but still.

(Y/n) shook her head, dismissing anything else that occupied her mind. 

"That's out of the way now," the nen user mumbled, "it's best if we don't talk about it anymore. It's stressing me out." The girl let out an exhausted sigh before approaching the bed. She plopped down beside Gon and leaned against his arm. The male took this as a sign that she wanted the hug he was offering earlier. 

Killua could be heard muttering things to himself before sighing. He spared his friend a glance, finding that Gon had an arm around her. There was a smile on the black haired boy's face, indicating that he was a little happy with the outcome of their conversation. The albino should be delighted too, as they got what was bothering her without fighting, but he felt unsatisfied with the reasons. He didn't want to push her to talk about it, as it might have hurt her mental state more, but...he wanted to find out more about this..woman. 

He'll do his own research on her, looking more into her backgrounds. From newspaper articles that were dated years back to anything underground related. Dirty bidding sounded serious to him and he'll do what he can to know what (Y/n) meant by that.

"We'll try our best to make sure that nothing happens to you," Killua tells (Y/n), "I promise. And I'm serious this time." He gently nudged her and placed a few pats on her shoulder. His blue eyes looked to Gon's auburn gaze, asking him to add more to his statement. The male happily obliged.

"Yup! That's what friends do (Y/n)! We'll make sure that nothing happens to you!" Gon grinned brightly, shining to his two friends.

The girl felt relieved and her stressed seemed to be going away. It was hard to relax after seeing the being you never wanted to see again, but they were helping. As a matter of fact, talking about the issue seemed to help her with her feelings. A yawn leaves (Y/n)'s mouth, indicating that she was ready to pass out in bed. She pushes herself away from the two boys with her. Approaching the door and unlocking it, she spares a glance to Gon and Killua again.

"Thank you," She mumbles, "I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Killua replied, "Later at the cafeteria probably?"

"You bet we'll see each other tomorrow!" Gon stood up and stretched, "You can count on it."

Soon the two were out of the door and (Y/n) was left alone in her room. The girl hopped on her bed, with her backpack placed on the bedside table. She unzips the first pocket, pulling out a photo she's kept with her for the entire journey. A smile would appear on her face and this time it never faltered. 

"I miss you dad," the (h/c) haired female mumbled, "I hope you're safe wherever you are." Delicately she caresses the outer borders of the processed photo, taking her time to stare at the person she wanted to see the most. As if he were really there, (Y/n) proceeded to talk about her adventures so far, from how waking in the morning was like to seeing that cursed woman again. Once she was done, she gently placed the image back in the special corner of her backpack. 

The (s/c) girl looked at the telephone that sat beside her bag. She figured that..she might tell her uncle about the situation, so he too would know what's troubling her. He would be worried sick, she was sure of it, but she'll say that she would be fine. She just..needs to train herself to withstand the anxiety she feels when she sees that damned woman. 

Silently she picks up the phone and decides to dial the house number. It would be surprising to get a call back from him at this hour..it would just be a general surprise to hear him pick him up. A familiar voice rang in her ears, causing the girl to smile just a little. For the next hour she talks to her uncle about things, mostly the matter concerning her aunt. Eventually she prepares for bed, passing out due to exhaustion. 

The troubling problems that swarmed her mind were no longer present as she falls deep into her sleep. Instead, she shall dream about whatever made her happy, the people she cares for the most.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Sometimes I don't know what the hell to do with you. " 

Morning came back quickly, and (Y/n) hadn't expected it honestly. She hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep at such a late time. What time was it then? Maybe it was around one in the morning. Oh she wasn't so sure. What she was sure about was that she was hungry and she was off to get breakfast. 

Leaving her belongings in a room that she might stay in for a couple of months,, she heads to the personal bathroom and tidied herself up. Speaking of cleaning up, that reminds her that she should probably get a new pair of clothes. She can't just wear this set of clothes all month. She's gotta alternate between other outfits too. Ah but..what to wear..what to wear? The nen user knew that there were a couple of malls around, maybe she should go shopping with her friends one day, if they have the time.

Which..she doubts. They'll probably be caught up with training and she would be the only one who has free time. Sure she could train with them and polish her own nen, but that's kind of boring. 

The girl stood in front of the mirror before her, fresh out of the shower. Her (h/c) locks were still damp and she wore a t-shirt she had with her during her stay in the arena. The fog on the mirror blocked some parts around her but there was nothing behind her. She shouldn't worry about anything. (Y/n) can't dwell on the thought of someone behind her. That'll just creep her out more. 

Her paranoia shouldn't get her, not when she knows that her friends are here for her, that she's not going to fight her aunt alone. She has the support that she wanted and... she was in a safe environment. The outside right now is a dangerous place.

Walking out of the bathroom, she stares at the bed once more and eventually looks at the phone. Perhaps she should call her uncle again, say hi and ask how he's doing. Ah... but wait. Shifting her gaze to the clock, she finds that it was eight in the morning. He was probably at work, feeding the chickens. Best to call him later in the evening when he's finished with his work.

She soon swings open the door to the hallway, finding that Killua was going to wake her up. Her (e/c) eyes connect with icy blues, causing her to smile. "Good morning," (Y/n) greeted her friend, "Did you guys get breakfast yet?"

"We haven't," Killua replied, "Gon wanted to wait for you. He was in his room earlier watching Tv when I decided to stop by. We talked for a bit but he didn't want to budge. Looks like he was waiting for something to appear on the screen. Probably his invitation to fight today."

The female rose a brow at what she heard. Gon was fighting today? Wasn't there a restriction with Wing about fighting. She might have not been paying attention during their lessons at the time but she's positive that the older guy said that he didn't want them fighting. Not for another month or so, that is. Their Ten is still underdeveloped, it was still weak. If Gon was going to fight today, that would be bad news.

"Are you kidding me?" (Y/n) spoke, "You know he can't do it. Wing said that it's not the right time to use Ten, especially in battle." The thought of her friend going into a fight like that, where he can potentially severely hurt himself got her mad, worried mostly. Her eyebrows furrowed farther, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. "If he gets hurt out there....ugh..Killua where is he?"

"He's in his room, still. I told you he's waiting for you to go in his room and say hi or something." The white haired male pointed at their friend's door before walking towards it. The girl followed close by, her footsteps were quick but quiet. With a knock, Gon rushed up to the door and opened it, revealing himself. There was a certain sparkle in his eyes, a sign of excitement that he felt about fighting someone with a new found ability. 

The sight of him..the fact that he was buzzing with joy because of the thought of using Ten on a battle..it made (Y/n) anger die down. Now there was only worry she had in her chest. She cared for her friend, of course she was going to be worried. She can't let herself be furious at Gon's decisions. It was his choice. 

"Glad to see you're awake now (Y/n)!" Gon squeaked, his smile getting wider. He ushered his friends to come over, letting them sit on his bed while he sat in front of the television again. "If it's okay with you guys, I requested a breakfast for three in my bedroom so we don't have to leave this room."

"I know breakfast in bed is free but are you sure its okay for us to eat in your room? Won't it get...you know...smelly in here because of the food?" (Y/n) asked, her head tilting towards the side. She was waiting for an opportunity to ask her friend why he decided to fight today, even if he knew that Wing spoke against the idea.

"I can just turn off the AC later and open the window. It's fine! Really it is!" Gon was chirpier than ever. He was clearly too excited to go fight in the arena. The male couldn't keep his eyes off of the tv screen. Like a child waiting for their candy, every passing minute caused him to be jumpier. He was practically buzzing like a bee at this point.

This was a concerning sight, especially for (Y/n). Knowing the consequences of disobeying nen teachers, their punishments are tough. Maybe...Wing was different than her uncle. The last time her uncle had gotten angry at her while teaching her nen was when she accidentally caused herself to spring up, not knowing how to control the wind power on her legs. This in turn caused young (Y/n) to almost fly up to two stories and almost break her legs, if her uncle didn't catch her that is.

After that, she had extra training, extra hard work, and it was honestly super exhausting. 

"Gon," (Y/n) started off, "Don't you think it's a little too early to be fighting? You just learned how to use Ten and now you're gonna fight? Didn't Wing say something about waiting another month or two?"

This caught his attention. The black haired boy changed his attention to stare at his female friend, his auburn eyes connecting with (e/c) hues. His body was turned to face (Y/n) and Killua. He sat criss-cross on the floor, his hands still gently placed on his ankles. "I know what he said about Ten. You don't have to treat me as if I'm a child. As far as I remember, we're all the same age." His gaze falls on Killua, who seemed to be in the same team as (Y/n). He was aware of their concern, but none of them were able to contain his excitement to fight.

"I'm going to get on-field experience with this. If I'm able to fight this guy and learn more about Ten at the same time, then I think that's a huge plus! Don't you guys think?" 

Killua and (Y/n) looked at each other, knowing that on-field experience isn't always the best when learning new stuff. You'll only benefit from it if you've already gotten a basic grasp of the skill. The lesson that Wing gave to the both of them last night wasn't the full thing. There were some things that the teacher left out so the other two can pursue learning from him. 

"Gon you don't have a proper grasp at Ten just yet," (Y/n) spoke, her tone stern like a mother scolding her child, "It's undeveloped and you're not ready yet. Me and Killua know both that practicing on others is fine but the person you're going against is going to go all out on you. They're not going to hold back because you don't know much about your ten. Gon you-"

Before the girl could finish what she had to say to her friend, she was cut off by a tv screen stating that Gon should be getting ready to go out in the arena. The boy jolted up and was ready to walk out the door. It was like he was running on autopilot, with how he immediately stood up. The other male in the room grabbed a hold of Gon's hand, pulling him back. Killua's icy blue eyes stared up at Gon's soft auburns. 

"I hope you know what you're doing. If not.... I don't know what the hell to do with you bro," Killua mumbled. The girl also stared down the standing boy before them. (Y/n) watched the white haired male let go of his friend, allowing him to leave his room. He then looked to the female that sat beside him. There was a clear sight of concern in Killua's look. While he understood his friend's determination, he was a fool sometimes. Even he wouldn't disobey a teacher's warning about something they're not experienced with.

The two sat in silence for a while before they gathered enough strength to stand up. "We should get going," Killua mumbled. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he waited for (Y/n) to start moving. Soon they were out of Gon's room to get their tickets to his match. Something tells them both that Wing is gonna be watching Gon's match. Somewhere, but probably not with them.

Too bad for their breakfast. They might as well a meal after the match.

Holding the straps of her backpack, the (h/c) haired girl looked to her friend. A frown was stuck to her face, her face almost pissed about this stuff. "I can't believe him," (Y/n) muttered, "He just..goes out to fight? I don't know what to do with him sometimes." 

"Oh I have the same problem too. Don't worry."

Both Killua and (Y/n) approached a booth that offered tickets for Gon and Gido's fight. Apparently it was one of the guys that they saw last night, more specifically the one that's on some sort of stilt. This Gido guy had no lower body, except for that stick he was standing on, and his face was covered by a mask. He also had a cane to balance himself with. Whatever his gimmick was, it was certain out of the ordinary. 

"Wherever our seats are, we gotta make sure that we don't sit next to Wing. If he ever attends this match that is." 

Killua spared a glance at (Y/n), nodding. The earful they're gonna get from that older guy after hearing that Gon's going to be fighting today. Well, who knows honestly how Wing's going to react. Probably how they expected.

The two teens entered the arena and found their seats. The girl took off her small backpack and hugged it. The arena was still empty, meaning that everyone was still prepping up. (Y/n) could feel a pit in her stomach as she anticipated the amount of times Gon was going to get hit by whatever Gido was going to offer. She wasn't nervous enough to develop the jitters though. Soon enough the matches started and the fighters were introduced.

"In one corner, we have Gon! He currently has no wins and no losses either! Lets all hope this one shot wonder has what it takes to beat Gido!" The announcer squealed with glee. Many watchers were cheering for the kid but there were also a handful that cheered for Gon's current opponent. The man with the stilts had entered the room and per usual, the lady on the microphone had told everyone about his scores. He currently has four wins and a loss so far. The girl would call it impressive but she had to know how far apart those matches were. If they were close to each other, then there might be a big problem on their hands. 

(Y/n) continued to stare, finding herself lost in her thoughts. They were all filled with worry for her friend who was clearly risking his bones for some _on field experience_. The girl's grip on her bag tightened as the match officially started. She was tense, unlike the boy she was sitting with. Killua seemed to keep his cool, his blue gaze keeping themselves stuck on Gon's figure. The beginning of it all didn't seem to be too bad, but eventually Gon gets hit with a bunch of spinning tops. 

They weren't just any regular tops. There was nen attached to them and she knew. The people here aren't just going to be the regular fighters you see in the lower floors. The ones here were more advanced with their nen and know how to adapt their nen to their fighting style. The show in front of her was more like a cringe-fest, as every time the tops hit her friend, she continues to shrivel into a small ball with a grimace stuck to her face.

"I don't want to watch this," (Y/n) mumbled, "You know what happened the last time I saw Gon get beat up." Ah the days back to the hunter exam, when she was a little more sensitive. After experiencing whatever happened in that giant test, (Y/n) feels as if she had gotten a better and stronger conscience. She no longer, or at least she thinks, will break down from thinking that she supposedly killed someone. That is a big plus for her! What she can't be able to stomach is her friend getting beat up though, because well..she's gotten rather attached to them.

The thought of seeing your close loved ones getting hurt? It just fills you with rage and sorrow sometimes.

"Yeah I know," Killua replied. The tall male crossed his arms and leaned forward. His back slouched while his arms supported him. His head was still, his eyes watching the fight before him. He looked busy enough when (Y/n) looks at him, but just in case she's not having another mental breakdown because of this stuff, he looks to her. The sight of the female cowering over, hugging her backpack tightly as if it was some sort of teddy bear. 

She was fine, Killua knew, so he doesn't tend to think much about it. Going back to focus on the match, he let the girl alone in her head. He'll be sure to watch everything so he can get whatever she needs to hear. What he didn't know was that she kept her head up a little just to watch. (Y/n) wanted to do that so Killua didn't have to do the work. She also did it so she could train herself to be mentally strong.

Nen powered tops spun around the black haired boy, causing him to jolt everywhere. Gon tried his best to avoid them, but it seems like in every direction he goes to he just ends up getting hit by the flying toys. Keeping up his ten was harder than expected. He thought the situation would be like a walk in a park, not a huge struggle. There wasn't enough space for an opening so the chances of hitting Gido were low. There was no way out of this without breaking a bone or spraining a few muscles. 

Gon was getting a little desperate as he got tired from jumping around. He wasn't going anywhere with this so he had to do something. He had to sacrifice his protection to pursue an opening to strike the man. The male thought that it would get him somewhere but the only thing he got from it was a hard slam on his back. It felt heavy, as if a whole building collapsed on you and you've managed to stay alive. The momentum transferred from the top to Gon's body sent him flying out of the platform.

Crowds roared around him while other gasped in shock. The boy wonder, the one that almost everyone was rooting for, was sent flying out of the ring. It earned Gon's opponent, Gido, a point for managed such a clean hit on him. Weakly, the black haired teen stood up and rubbing the spot the toys hit him at. His body was getting sore, feeling bruises develop on his skin. 

He's out of the ring, and that's a bad thing.

Gon notices a male beside him. It was the referee, ready to count him out. His auburn eyes bore into the much smaller male before shifting his gaze towards the spinning top in front of him. Strange. Something was going on. The top was just spinning there. It didn't bounce around or try and hit him out of the ring. Was this much simpler than what he was originally thinking of?

"Hey are you gonna get back in that ring or what?" The referee called out to him, "If you don't manage to get inside by 10 seconds you're going to be considered as out." The rules here were tight. Did Gon have enough time to figure this out? He probably did.

As the ref was counting down his numbers from 10, Gon started to process what was going on. A single spinning top, sitting still. Before the man at the sidelines called out 3, a thought had appeared in the black haired teen's mind. The tops weren't moving because nothing was moving them. They probably were moving because they have to bounce off of something. Ah! That's it! He's got the idea!

Hopping back on the platform before the last number was called, Gon managed to muster his ten and wrap himself a protective shield. He tries to look for an opening, identifying the simple landing patterns of each top. Eventually he finds a straight path towards Gido, which Gon of course didn't hesitate to take. With an extra spring in his step, the teen made his way towards his opponent. A triumphant smile appeared on his face, though it was quickly retracted when Gido started to spin like a top.

The force Gido generated around his body caused Gon to retaliate. It was too late for him to move anywhere, ultimately making Gon fly back again because of the spin. A choked groan leaves the boy's lips as he felt the wall impact his back. Luckily for him, the pain wasn't that bad because of his ten.

"Once again, Gon is out of the ring!" The announcer yelled, "I can't believe it! Gido is using his special tornado top move! How will Gon manage to comeback with this?" Gasps rounded the arena. The bright, bubbly voice of the woman caused a girl to sit up straight. This was the second time, and it was certainly looking like a huge problem. As she had expected.

The girl mumbled words to herself, her eyes squinting to try and focus on the guy spinning like crazy. "This is worse than I thought. He's been hit by two major blows, more so with the little tops," (Y/n) sighed, "I knew this was a bad idea. I thought you were with him last night. Didn't you remind him what Wing said about using ten?"

"Well it's kinda hard to ask a bomb to calm down," Killua replied, "I couldn't do anything. Well I mean I could have but what am I to stop him. Look before you get angry at me or something, (Y/n) he wanted this _on field experience_ and ya know we can't just defuse a ticking time bomb."

(Y/n) kept her eyes on the boy she considered as her friend. She finds him making his way towards the platform again. This sight caught Killua's attention. It made their stomachs drop for a moment before they yelled in unison, "Don't bother attacking!" Killua followed up his words with "He'll get dizzy soon!" but (Y/n) had a different approach with "He's gonna get tired! The match can stay for as long as it can!"

Their screams caught the attention of another bystander. There was a smirk on the older male's face as he looked at a familiar pair. They're easily recognizable. The old champion's daughter and one of the running up kids. He scoffs, crossing his arms and turning his attention towards them. 

"You guys have amateur thinking," the stranger started off, "Those can clearly be overcome by training. People like professional ice skating athle-." Before he could finish his sentence, (Y/n) sent him a death glare while Killua punch the guy to make him stop.

"No one asked you asshole," Killua and (Y/n) spoke. Both were seen huffing with anger but then they immediately calmed themselves down. Their focus was on Gon once more. They were on their toes trying to see the outcome of the match.

Everyone in the stands were on their feet, trying to see what was going to happen. They all waited for Gon to do something about Gido, but what (Y/n) and Killua noticed was that he was releasing his ten. The white haired male could be heard muttering his friend's name while (Y/n) stared, dumbfounded by her friend's choices.

"Is he serious?!" (Y/n) gasped, "Does he know what the hell he's doing?! This- this is gonna kill him!" The girl didn't know how bad the spinning was but considering how Gon was launched from the platform, she can conclude that it was harsh. Almost like a small, angry tornado.

Killua had to pitch in what he had to say about whatever Gon was doing. His voice was loud, his tone sharp and clear. "You idiot!" He started to yell, "You might as well be putting yourself in a dangerous situation! A defenseless body is gonna kill you!" 

They both had the same idea, but in different words. Everyone around seemed to be aware of their concerns for their friend. While they stared at them, the two kids were unbothered. The teens' volume was no match for the roars around the crowd. Their message might as well never get to Gon's ear.

But he did hear them, and he knew that he was going to be seriously injured by what he's about to do. Dropping his defenses to hide himself and focus on the spinning tops, he managed to hide his entire aura. His full attention is now on his senses. He had used one of the basic principles, Zetsu. 

The girl in the sidelines was well aware of what he did and she still thinks that this was a really bad idea. (Y/n)'s lips pursed together, forming a frown on her face. She didn't know that he knew what zetsu was, and if Wing was watching this match, he too didn't know about that. The nen user thought that he was a total newbie when it comes to this sort of stuff. It can be concluded that he learned this on his own, but never knew what it was. She was like that as well, really, so she was impressed by this discovery.

With the help of Zetsu, Gon was able to dodge an incoming top. He was able to continue the fight this way, but using Zetsu won't help him with any attacks or his defense. He was fully committing to the idea of gaining experience in this battle. He didn't want to win, he genuinely wanted to experiment on nen. 

"I can't believe him.." (Y/n) mumbled. "I really...can't believe him."

"Me too, (Y/n)," Killua responded, "Me too."

The match was easily consider a loss for Gon, as it was obvious that there were some things that he was lacking. The match lasted for around another hour or two. What stopped it is when Gido had managed to get the final point. It was a clean blow to the boy's arm. Gon managed to suppress the impact with his body but it still resulted in a few broken bones.

After that, Gon was admitted to the medical ward of the tower where (Y/n) and Killua visited him. The girl had grabbed a chair and sat closest to her friend's bed while Killua was at the end of it. The nen user had her face covered by her hands, feeling stress releasing itself.

"Broken right radius and ulna and a cracked humerus," Killua spoke, "A few broken ribs and twelve cracks in other general areas." The male leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs. "From what they told us, it's gonna take you four months to heal. Idiot." Gon could be heard mumbling his apologies only for Killua to start poking his forehead saying that he shouldn't apologize to him or (Y/n). He should be more concerned about whatever the hell is going on inside his mind. 

Killua scold Gon more about whatever the hell happened during the match and how he should have listened to Wing. (Y/n) sat beside her friend, her face now uncovered. She is visibly stressed about the situation and her loud sighs alarmed the boys with her. She wanted to speak about the event as well but there was a knock on the door. The girl wanted to get it, as Killua and Gon were busy, but she was told to keep still. Well as the other one was getting to the door, (Y/n) figured this was the right time to tell what's going on in her head.

She didn't hit Gon. Okay maybe she lightly hit his shoulder out of frustration but she let herself calm down before she starts ranting. A sigh comes from her mouth again as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Wing _told_ you already. Why didn't you listen to him Gon? Look, me and Wing know that you guys have potential and if you had enough training with Wing, you would have gotten that win from Gido!" Noticing her loud volume, the girl took in a deep breath. She could hear Gon saying he's sorry again. This caused the girl to lock eyes with him.

"Look," She began, "I'm...I appreciate you're sorry but it's really not necessary. Just like what Killua said earlier, I want to know what made you think that what you did earlierwas a good idea." A strained sigh comes from her as she shook her head. "Next time just listen to Wing. He knows what to do so you better listen to him."

Speaking of Wing, he was the one that was knocking on the door. He stood at the end of Gon's hospital bed and waited for the both of them to stop talking. It was his turn to have a word with this young man and the first thing he did was a large slap on Gon's face. No one in the room expected that sort of reaction from the older male. Wing then started to yell at Gon, to which it was actually the same thing Killua talked to him about. 

(Y/n) sat in the sidelines, watching the scenes before her unfold. Included with the scolding, Wing restricts Gon from learning or studying nen for a month. He warns them that if they don't abide by his rules, he wont teach them. This isn't much of a threat to (Y/n) as it is to Killua and Gon. The girl's already got 6 months worth of experience while Killua and Gon can just find another person. Surely the white haired one already has that figured out. 

To seal the deal, Wing wrapped a piece of cloth around his left hand's pinkie. 

"(Y/n), Killua. Come with me. I need to discuss things with you two." Wing turned around and headed towards door. He expected the young teens to follow him out, to which they did. They left Gon alone with his thoughts. He was probably okay with that. It gives him time to think about himself and his choices. 

The three were seated outside in a mall. The girl recognized this place. It was close to Wing's hotel. (Y/n) made herself comfortable on the seat she was on. She was close to her friend but far enough to not invade his personal bubble. The girl's (e/c) eyes were on Wing's brown pair. They questioned his intent to bring them out here and they soon got the answer.

"What are you intentions here," Wing asked them both. His posture was upright, meaning that he was serious about the matter. If he was truly curious about it, then Killua can answer for them. If (Y/n) ever needs to answer, she'll gladly answer them. 

"Our first intentions here were to make some money," Killua started, "But then things changed. We got interested in learning nen and now Hisoka is in the scene so it's sort of hard to leave. Gon wants to train here for a while and experiment on nen. We're not here to get to the top floor, or at least I'm sure." The male sent eyes towards (Y/n), causing the girl to huff.

"I'm not here to follow my dad's footsteps. I'm only here because I wanna follow you guys. I'm worried that no one's gonna get you out of trouble," the girl mumbled, "Besides...Even if I wanted to follow my dad's footsteps, I don't think he'd want me to have the life I've had in the past." 

Wing and Killua looked to the younger nen user, their eyebrows raised. Certainly they knew of her father but whatever happened in their personal life caused a little bit of conflict. They didn't want to ask her, for it was her own private matter. They continued on their conversation while (Y/n) listened to them. 

"Gon likes the thrill of it. He was clearly enjoying himself while doing whatever he was doing back there," Killua spoke, "He probably doesn't care if he dies or not. It doesn't matter to him. He just wants to have fun. Granted, I'm kinda guilty of that too but I wouldn't just go with any fight. I gotta go with what I think is the right match for me." The male leaned back, his arms propping him up. He got comfortable as he felt the conversation he's having with both (Y/n) and Wing would take a while.

"Well he shouldn't do that again," (Y/n) muttered, "It's really stressing me out whenever he does that. Don't think he'll listen to me though...he _is_ a little stubborn sometimes."

"Well Wing if you ever consider dropping us out, we don't really care." A smirk appeared on Killua's pale face. "We'll just find another teacher. We might even ask (Y/n)'s-" Something cuts him out. The one that stopped him from speaking further was the girl sitting beside him. She nudged him to keep him from saying her uncle's name. He's gotta respect her uncle's need for peace, even if he didn't voice his desire to the two other teens.

In a place like this, word gets out quick, especially with so many people around that recognize them. That's trouble for her family.

A sigh comes from the former assassin as he stood up. (Y/n) followed his moves, fixing her backpack's straps and her clothes as well. She pushed a few strands of hair away from her face. She didn't speak a word to Wing as Killua continued to talk to him. His back was towards the teacher.

"Don't worry about it. We would have learned more about it anyway from Hisoka and my brother Illumi. (Y/n) can teach us too, if she wanted. She's got enough experience, we could ask her anytime."

Wing knew that. He expected it, really, from someone who's a direct family member of the old champion. That young man that disappeared too soon for reasons unknown. Best not to dwell on the memory of him since he's gone. It would be great to teach the only child of that prestigious champion, and maybe he could, if Killua and Gon are still willing to learn from him.

"I don't plan on letting you guys go. In fact it would be nice to teach you three. You guys have a lot of potential, and that includes (Y/n). She can learn with you guys. She can pick up a few more things from me to hone her skills," Wing spoke, "If you're interested, Zushi is in the hotel studying. You can go ahead and talk with him."

(Y/n) and Killua looked at each other. They all had the same thought. Even if (Y/n) was advanced, she did want to see Gon and Killua thrive together. Leaving Gon alone and having Killua learn earlier was kind of unfair. Her friend knew that as well, which is why he declined Wing's offer to study in his hotel room. Silence envelopes the three and eventually two of them decided to leave. Within a few steps down the stairs, the teacher spoke to them.

"Killua! (Y/n)!" Wing called, "Tell Gon that he's allowed to practice nen, the flame one! Tell him to work on his ten as well. All three of you have to exercise everyday too!" 

The two teens looked at each other and then to Wing. Killua waved to him, saying that he got that memo. (Y/n) nodded her head in response. Soon enough they departed. The girl kept herself close to her friend, mostly for comfort. She was still slightly paranoid about her aunt, but it wasn't as severe as before. Her friend made sure that she was safe, heightening his senses without her noticing. He doesn't really know what (Y/n)'s aunt looks like, but he got a glimpse of her once. That was good enough for him. 

Luckily for them, there weren't that many problems. One can conclude that (Y/n)'s aunt wants to see her when she's alone. The girl was smart. She wouldn't go outside by herself unless it was absolutely necessary. 

They arrived back at the tower in around 20 minutes.. They took the bus to make things quicker. The duo talked among themselves about nen and what they want to do with it. As they enter Gon's room, they notice how quiet it had been. There the black haired boy was sitting on his bed, meditating. The male was too focused to notice them. The sight made Killua smile, eager to do the same as him. The white haired boy took a seat, criss-cross on the floor.

(Y/n) took the time to tidy the room. She placed her backpack on one of the corner chairs. She shifted her attention towards her two friends, grinning at the sight of them. They were dedicated in learning nen. That reminded her of herself when she was starting out. The nen user sighed and fixed her hair before sitting on the floor with Killua. No doubt they would notice a shift in the room's aura. If they ever do, then they'll know it was from her. 

There was peace around them, enveloping them in a warm hug. They would sit together, in the comforting silence, for the remainder of the day. They would leave each other's sides at night to rest, meeting with each other in the coming day.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Blinded by my own confidence "

Today had been any regular day. Maybe except for the fact that now Gon's arm has now fully healed rather than broken. It had only been a few weeks, maybe nearing a month since the boy had gotten that injury and here he is now. He's springing like a jumping bean with just one hand. How Gon managed to heal that quick was beyond (Y/n)'s understanding. Might it had been because they had been meditating? The girl knew that nen had healing properties, but that's only when a nen user has a transmission or enhancer ability. 

Wait...Gon _is_ an enhancer. Okay maybe the girl was overthinking things again. 

There the two perfectly healthy nen users sat on chairs that were in the patient's room. (Y/n) had sat in the most comfortable position she could think of while Killua was sitting with legs open and his elbows propping his upper body up. He was leaning, tickets waving in his hand. He had bought just enough and with the help of (Y/n)'s contribution. The white haired male was hoping that they would all be able to see Hisoka's fight today. They were told that it was going to be a special one, especially since Hisoka sacrifices his losses to meet up with this person named Kastro.

That name seems really familiar, honestly. Might it be because the girl has already heard of this man before? Perhaps, but it can also be because fighter names weren't really uncommon to hear in the 200th floors.

While Killua breaks the news to Gon that they would be attending Hisoka's newest fight, (Y/n) sat there with a smile on her face. She chimed in whenever she could. She wanted to add on to some points of the conversation, bringing up more about Hisoka's bouts. He had lost enough to make sure that he's left with one more strike. He has enough wins. From a surveyor's perspective, the man has a plan. It was obvious that the bubblegum haired magician did. Hisoka is confident that he'll win the fight if he sacrificed that many loses to fight this single person. 

The girl was left sitting with her thoughts until she had been called by her friends to stand up. 

"Thinking about stuff again?" Killua asked. His hands shoved themselves in his pockets, his head tilting to the side. Gon could be seen doing the same thing, except one of his arms were suspended by a cloth. Even if it was completely unnecessary for the arm.

"Maybe she is," Gon added, " You aren't thinking about your aunt again are you?"

Her aunt? Honestly since she's been mostly indoors and meditating, she never really thought about her aunt. It's almost like that cruel old woman didn't exist to her for a full month. It was...completely astonishing for the girl to hear about her old relative. The baffled look on the girl's face answered for her, but just in case, she had to say things too.

"I thought about Hisoka and Kastro. I never really...thought about my aunt recently. Maybe that's a good sign that I'm getting a little more confident about my protection. I doubt that she'll forget about me, but I can't be sure if she hasn't given up yet." A short laugh would leave the female before she moved strands of her hair away from her face. "She would have gotten tired, seeing as I have company around. I don't think she's even free right now. It's the day, she's probably busy doing something else. We should be fine now."

The realization doesn't change the fact that the woman wasn't a threat, but the girl was confident about her speculations on her aunt. She fails to remember that the older woman was persistent, had resources to capture her, and she'll eventually be put in her place. What are the chances right now though? Super low.

"If that's what you say," Killua sighed, "Come on. The arena's probably gonna set up the matches now. These tickets help us get the front seats so we won't have any problems squinting." He was the first to leave the room with (Y/n) being the last. She had to close the door to spare her friend the trouble. He only has one hand at his disposal right now, despite the fact the other is working just fine. 

The trio walked down to the floors where the arenas were at. They talked among themselves, keeping their conversation mostly about Hisoka and Kastro's fight. Other people seemed to talk about the match too. Almost everyone in the building right now is going to be attending the bout. The last time (Y/n) heard this many attending this match was when her father was going to fight the champion, but that was a few years ago and it was her father's account too. She can't actually fact check her dad until she looked at past articles.

"But won't this..like you know...break Wing's promise or something?" Gon asked Killua, to which the he replied with "No it doesn't! We're only watching the match!"

Killua's outburst managed to catch the person in question's attention. As if by magic, Wing appeared behind the trio and replied almost immediately. The teen's eyes widen before they turn around, finding the eldest black haired male just a step before them. His glasses glare to the point where the light hid his eyes. 

"Watching a match that you know would involve nen counts as studying for it. You gain experience by watching two fighters utilize their techniques which will end as experience," Wing spoke, "Gon you should get back to practicing your ten. Killua and (Y/n), you are both welcome to join him." He pushed his glasses up, adjusting so that his eyes could be seen behind the light. "I have nothing else to say. I just wanted to check up on all three of you." He gave the bunch a smile before he walked away. 

(Y/n) looked to Killua and Gon, her eyes squinting and her mouth slightly agape. "Do you think he's following us?" (Y/n) asked. Gon shook his head, saying that it was by coincidence, but Killua seemed to think otherwise. With Gon's inability to attend the match, that just leaves (Y/n) and Killua again.

The girl looks to her companion before shaking her head. "Seriously sucks that Gon isn't with us. He would have loved to watch the fight ya know." (Y/n) pressed her hands against her hips and looked away from her friend. She sees people pushing and shoving to get themselves a spot in the arena's seating. "Ya think we should get in there now or later?"

"We're gonna be a little too early with nothing else to do," Killua responded, "It's best if we wait until much later. In the meantime, we can do whatever we wanna do ya know?" The boy turned his glance elsewhere, his eyes eventually landing on the tv screen that hung above them. There it showed Kastro's interview. Parts of his personality can be picked from that small interview. Whoever he was, he must be, if not, as confident as Hisoka is in this match. He showed his enthusiasm to beating the bubblegum haired magician, saying that he knew he had a chance to beat him now.

Killua wanted to check if this guy was the real deal, but he wasn't sure if the female was going to go with him. Should he..just leave right now? If he were to leave right now, he'll probably be putting her in trouble. There were a lot of people here, anyone can be here to take (Y/n) or something. What if her aunt was in the crowd? Why would that old woman want to be here if she wasn't going to be sure that his friend was gonna be alone? 

"Hey I'm gonna check this guy out, see if he's the real deal," the white haired male told her. (Y/n) seemed to be okay with that. She nodded and kept a smile on her face. Killua could only guess that she was okay with being by herself too. With nods exchanged, Killua departed from his friend's side in search of Kastro's room. 

The (h/c) haired girl messed with the straps of her backpack, tightening them as she looked up at the tv screen. They still had an hour before things start, it'd be best to start going out and checking the shops. She needed new clothes and snacks too. If she happens to run into Wing or Zushi, that would honestly be great. (Y/n) believed that running into her aunt around this time would be awful as she would be vulnerable. The girl continued to assure herself that the chances are definitely low and she had the means to defend herself. 

She wasn't young anymore, she wasn't gullible. Even if she is still growing, (Y/n) knew that she was old enough to protect herself, to answer for herself. She'll fight back if she had to. She no longer would need to be frightened by the presence of her aunt.

(Y/n) watched Killua walk away among the crowd of strangers. His figure eventually disappeared behind a hallway that led to the elevator. The elevator that led to the rooms. The girl's grip on her backpack straps tightened as she turned her attention to the entrance of the outside world. She needed to go out there, no matter how stupid her reason might be. "Face your fears", her father once said, "there's no need to be afraid." She got over her small fear of heights, how come this was different?

Her legs felt like jelly. It was hard to move, hard to breathe. She assured herself earlier, how come she felt like backing down now? Might it be because she had always been scared of just going out there? By herself? The confidence she felt earlier wasn't false, but maybe that's because she was with her friends. 

"No," the (h/c) haired girl thought to herself, "I can do this. I can't let this get to me again. I need to get out there and do my thing. I need to get stuff for myself and by myself." Instead of thinking about the worst outcomes of this journey, she can think about the list of things she wanted to buy. The thing is, it's very hard to think about different things when your mind is set on the worst things that could happen. For a few minutes the girl stood there among the crowd before she eventually forced herself to take a step. 

Her steps take the form of a run, her body blindly going anywhere but the outside of the arena. (Y/n) ended up trying to blend in with a crowd of strangers, making it seem like she wasn't some sort of celebrity in the arena. It was hard to keep an anonymous profile in this city, as the media here focused on arena stars. They knew her by two things; the missing champion's daughter and a prominent arena celeb. 

Within a few minutes of walking around the girl found herself near the venues that she wanted to find. The crowd she cloaked herself with seemed to be going the right way. (Y/n) knew this street. She remembers this place. It was where her dad used to go out a lot. There was a park nearby that they frequented. The shops they went to were still there. How lucky huh?

The girl's body was confused. Was it supposed to feel that great feeling of nostalgia or should it focus more on the dread that her mind wanted? Staring at the old venues eventually made her decide that she should at least be relieved that she ended up here and not some shady alleyway. (Y/n) tried to calm herself down, taking in deep breaths before she started to walk. She strolled along the sidewalk, looking for a clothing store and maybe a general goods store. She wanted to treat her friends, buy them things. 

(Y/n) entered a store that sold clothes in various styles. From blouses to regular printed t-shirts, she can pick one and make an entirely new outfit. The thought of her aunt left her mind as she occupied herself with making new sets. She had hit a feeling of bliss, despite the conflicting emotions she had earlier. It was a good thing in this case, as she didn't have to be so nervous when picking out clothes.

Once she had gotten enough to last for a few months, maybe more, (Y/n) walked up to the cashier and placed them on the counter. She made sure that none of her clothes would fall on the ground, as she had a lot. Oh...well she needed to wash these clothes anyway before she wears them. The girl messed with the insides of her backpack, trying to find the wallet she brought with her. She made sure to bring enough Jenny to pay for the cost and the bags. 

While the girl was busy with her things, she didn't realize that someone she knew also came in the building.

It was the old woman she had feared to see. The (h/c) haired girl wouldn't notice her presence until the woman made herself know. A familiar dreadful aura spewed in the air. It brewed trouble for the nen user. As soon as (Y/n) felt a disturbance, her immediate response was to bring up her ten, creating a force field around her. Immediately after, she started to feel a bit better, but she still felt threatened. The woman loomed in the entrance for a while before walking away to pretend to look at clothes. The girl could be seen sweating but she tried to dismiss this feeling.

She didn't want to seem like she's vulnerable. That'll encourage that old woman to do something. 

The girl's foot started to tap impatiently, her hands shaking a little. (Y/n) held a smile on her face, ignoring the droplets that trailed down her temple. Her sense are heightened and she was ready to leave this place immediately. 

Once (Y/n) was handed the bag filled with her purchases, she quietly thanked the cashier and stepped away. She could feel the presence lingering a few feet away from her. The girl pressed her hand against the store's front door handle and made her way out quietly. She knew damn well that old woman was going to be trailing her so she had to make sure that she wasn't seen.

Weaving and walking, picking up the pace as she goes, (Y/n) made her way to a group of people that was crossing the street. The looming dread her aunt provided felt distant. She knew her relative doesn't know nen, so that was a good sign. Ten still wrapped around the girl's body as she made her way back to the arena. The group she blended in with earlier dispersed, leaving her out in the open. The farther away she was from that insufferable woman, she felt herself lose stress.

Everything seemed fine. She was _almost_ confident on the fact that the older woman was gone.

Within a few steps was the tallest tower in this city. She'll be back in time to put her clothes away and head down to the arena where Hisoka and Kastro would have their match. Unexpectedly, someone grabbed (Y/n)'s wrist, causing her to stop in her tracks. The heavy feeling of terror appeared behind her, overwhelming, evoking fear in her stomach. The girl strengthened herself, made her gut tougher, as she turned her head to look at who was behind her. 

"There you are, little one," a familiar voice rang in (Y/n)'s ears, "Why have you been avoiding me? You know how much that hurts your poor old auntie." 

Behind the nen user was a properly dressed woman. Her hair had grown longer with loose strands pulled back with a jade clip, her old wrinkles gone from her face. This didn't seem like the person who tortured (Y/n) with excruciating labor years before, but they had the same aura around them. Dread, hate, with intent to put her back in her home, to put her back in _her_ custody.

(Y/n) was frozen in place, sweat appearing at her temples once more. The grip on her bagged clothes was strong, enough to possible crinkle the plastic handles. She gulped in any new forming anxiety down to her stomach as she kept her (e/c) eyes connected with a pair that had the same hue. No words left the girl's mouth as she stared.

"No words, little one?" The older woman cackled, "I expected some sort of response from you, but, I guess I shouldn't really trust my expectations." Her thin fingers pushed back strands of hair that weren't pulled back by the pin. The grip she had on (Y/n)'s wrist felt tighter, constricting her from moving any further than a step. She had a friendly smile on her face. To the normal eye, she looked like she posed no threat, but (Y/n) knew that her appearance didn't hold true to her character. No one paid close attention to them, as everyone else was excited for the upcoming fight.

(Y/n) appeared to be all alone in this. This was bound to happen eventually. She was supposed to see this woman again, whether she liked it or not. She planned to, before. The only thing that held her back was the fact that it was difficult to face her aunt without feeling tremendous amounts of anxiety. Might this face to face meeting be the one where she breaks through? Maybe, maybe not. It's not always easy to let go of something that's been with you for a large duration of your childhood.

"We miss you back at home," (Y/n)'s aunt cooed, "Over the last few years we haven't seen your face. We thought that you died in the streets, but here you are." She faked her despair, trying to get the girl to feel bad about her. She started to spill crocodile tears in the midst of her sentences.

"Your father called us weeks before, asking me where you were. I was ashamed to say that we had lost you and I hadn't heard such a sad voice through the telephone. He couldn't believe us at first but when we _assured_ him, he continued to break down. He told us that he was going to look for you." Even with the scene that her aunt gave, no one seemed to notice them. It was weird on its own, that no one seemed to care about a lady crying in front of someone they would surely recognize.

To use her father against her..it was something that angered the younger lady. The fact that the act was so typical of her aunt disgusted (Y/n), but she didn't bring her guard down. This woman can be dangerous if she wanted to be. The nen user eased up her tense muscles but continued to pretend that she was stuck in place. It was something her uncle taught her. It's like pretending to be dead. It lowers your opponent's guard down, especially the ones that aren't good at fighting. 

Tears still spilled from her aunt's eyes but her wails softened to sniffles. "Please come back home. I wouldn't want your father to burden himself with the trouble of finding you for us," her aunt cried.

Seconds pass by the two, but it felt more like minutes. Anger and disgust boiled down the thick walls of anxiety, allowing her to think clearly about her situation. (Y/n) glared at the woman as she pretended her feet were stuck on the pavement with superglue. She could feel her aunt try to yank her from her spot but the girl wouldn't budge. The nen user kept her ground. The girl's hands started to shake before she yanked it away from the older woman. 

"Y-You," the girl breathed out, "You can't... You can't control me anymore." (Y/n) took steps back, giving herself a comfortable space away from her relative. "You can't use my father's name against me. I know you're lying. My father can't possibly contact you again. He hasn't called anybody in years."

"What evidence do you have that disproves the fact that he hasn't?" 

"Nothing."

"Then why don't you believe me? You have nothing to disprove me. I can call him again and prove to you that he did call me. You'll just have to come back to the house and then you'll talk to your dad again."

The opportunity to talk to her old man again? (Y/n) couldn't pass that chance at all, but knowing her auntie, knowing that she's a lying, backstabbing, piece of dirt is stopping her from believing it. How does she know all of this? Well she did not treat her as fairly as her father wanted, she lied to her saying that uncle wanted nothing to do with her entire existence, and (Y/n) was forced into being everyone's housemaid, even when her bank account was being used by her aunt. 

She had no reason to go back to her. Even if her dad did call her, her dad has to understand that she will not put up with more years of abuse. 

"I know enough to say that I can't trust you," (Y/n) spoke, "No. I'm not going back. You can't make me anymore, Lysantha." Having used her aunt's real name felt like she broke off a chain that tied anxiety to her very being. Saying _no_ to a figure that was more powerful than her also broke her shackles. 

Having seen that the girl had this newfound confidence proved that coercing this girl was harder than Lysantha thought. The old woman's eyes squinted to a point her wrinkles came out, her frown showing the true age of her face. Her hands clenched into fists, her feet stomping to get closer to the girl. She wanted the girl back in her house so she had a reason to show the bank she could still use her money. She knew (Y/n) still had money in that bank, her father put millions in there before he left. She could have enough to fuel more nights filled with cards and tokens.

"You little brat--You are coming back to the house this instant, (Y/n), and I'm not going to ask nicely anymore."

Her aunt's true colors were showing, but since there were still crowds of people standing around them, no one really focused on their dispute. 

"You can't make me," (Y/n) spat, "Not in a _million_ years." The girl knew it was risky to turn her back on a person she knew would hurt her. Just in case things happened, she strengthened the ten that wrapped around her. This cost most of her energy, but anything to get back inside to safety. As far as she knew, once she gets lost in the crowd of people that want to watch the match, she'll be safe. Her aunt would never enter the arena because of her hate for places like this.

(Y/n) lost sight of her aunt as soon as she entered the building. She didn't take the chance to look back and see if she was still there. She was too busy with her own matters, something she knew she had to prioritize after she stood out there and argued at her old relative. The anger and disgust she felt had died down and in its place was confidence. She was...almost proud of herself for standing up to her aunt. She had planned to do so years before but with the anxiety she had whenever it came to facing her, the task was impossible. Now, (Y/n) knew she could stand up to a woman of her caliber, but she had to be careful.

She doesn't know what kind of stunt that woman is going to pull next.

Seconds were ticking down the clock. The show was about to start and (Y/n) was still in her room, smiling and jumping. She had her little celebration before she had to calm herself down. She had to tell her uncle about this and he'll be proud that she stood up to one of her biggest sources of fear. The (h/c) haired girl had a picture of her dad in her hand, her eyes sparkling.

"If you were here, dad, you would have been proud too." 

(Y/n) went placed the photo back in her backpack before she ran to the elevator to take the ride down to the arena. She'll be there soon, hopefully before everything starts. The adrenaline she had died down, leaving her at a neutral state. Neither anxious nor excited, she entered the room where the match was held. Lights had already dimmed to a point where the only bright ones were at the middle platform.

It wasn't that hard to spot Killua in a crowd where the dominating hair color was either a dark brown or a soft blonde. Once a tuff of white was seen in a sea of people, the girl made a beeline straight to her friend. She placed herself down on a chair next to him, her hands fixing her clothes afterwards.

"I wasn't late was I?"

"Almost. They're just getting started." 

(Y/n) placed her hands on her lap, her body leaning forward to get a better look at the platform. Killua mimicked her movements, his eyes never sparing her form a glance. 

"Where have you been?" Killua asked.

"Out and about. I went shopping for clothes but then I met my auntie face to face."

"Wait- you did?" the boy mumbled, "You aren't hurt are you?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well. Mind telling me about it then while they're getting started?"

"Later."

"Fine."

As the two teens talked to each other, the announcer introduces the fighters. The two were already familiar with a bubblegum pink haired magician, but the one with white hair was a stranger. Each of their introductions were told to the crowd, which made them crazy. Cheers echoed through the large room, chants raised the volume of everyone. Everyone's eyes were on Hisoka and Kastro now, and nothing else. The announcer with the microphone spoke it a booming voice.

"Let the match begin!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Magician's tricks are hard to unravel sometimes. "

Lights honed in on the center stage where a certain pink haired male was staying on. There before him was another, one with long white hair gracing a body wrapped in loose clothes. Hisoka seemed a little excited to see an old rival, seeing this fire in his eyes was such an intriguing sight. To see people so caught up in fights like this was _so_ enticing. Almost as if Kastro was teasing him to spill his blood. 

Hisoka kept a grin on his face as his lemon yellow eyes stared at his opponent. Determination was evident, which increased his lust for blood. The magician kept a hand on his hips as he watched Kastro approach him after saying his excruciatingly long monologue. Careful gazes leered at the incoming male, Hisoka already on the move to get out of his way. Kastro leans in to the right, with the magician dodging to the other side, only for him to be hit with a clean strike.

The crowd was taken off guard, especially the two nen users that were sitting in the nearby stands. (Y/n) stared at the match, baffled by what had happened before her. Was she seeing things, or had Kastro really been on the other side the entire time? It was hard to notice what the hell was happening when you're not that close to the square. To be at the spot where the referee was at would have been wonders for her.

Killua can be heard shuffling around, his hands gripping the cushion of his seat. "Did you see him move over there earlier? Or...was I just seeing things?" He asked his friend, to which he heard a mumble. What he can decipher from that was a no.

It might be that they're ending up with different thoughts, but one thing is for sure, that clean hit on Hisoka was unexpected.

The white haired boy knew that Kastro was different, as he saw in his small encounter with him. His personality was nicer than Hisoka's but he was a little more narcissistic. He had this...thing to him that Killua can't understand. How quick he was to detect him, how advanced his nen was. Maybe this was going to be the person who beats Hisoka and puts him in his place. The boy can't be so certain of that thought though. Hisoka always seems to have something up his sleeve.

The two younger nen users watched, curious and determined to know what was going on in the fight. The one with longer hair seemed to stop in his tracks to taunt at the circus boy. Their words were unheard in the crowd of screaming people. The match continued on with Kastro landing a few more clean cuts on Hisoka. The magician ended up on the ground, laying and staring at the ceiling. Blood dripped down his cheek, leaving him dazed. It didn't hurt, really, Hisoka knew he was already numb to the pain, but his brain was just...not feeling it. He tried to understand, and he's processing everything. His opponent stood tall, his gaze staring at Hisoka's downed figure.

Kastro's points tallied up to 4, leaving Hisoka with none. The announcer was screaming the score, the crowd went wild. (Y/n) was beyond baffled, not knowing what to think about the whole situation. Killua looked to be in the same boat as her, if not, even more confused than she was. The girl tried to understand what was going on. Was she missing something that she can't see? Could she possibly utilize her nen right now?

She can't do that. Not just yet. If she uses her nen right now, she'll end up tired. She doesn't even know what to look for.

Hisoka was back on his feet after he talked with the referee. The man was riddled with bruises, with a cut on his cheek still bleeding. He was numb to the pain, so it didn't bother him that much. The two males in the center were talking it out, their words hushed because the noise of the crowd overpowered them. Tension rises in the air as Kastro moved his position, his hands mimicking the stance of a tiger's open mouth. The arena went wild as soon as they saw that. Fans of Kastro stood up, their hands flailing up in the air with excitement.

Killua's blue eyes widened, his body standing up to look at it closely. "That technique," he whispered, "It's gonna rip his entire arm off."

(Y/n) arched a brow as she looked at her friend. She can't tell if he was trying to talk to her or not. Probably to her. If not, his thoughts being said out loud helped her understand. It was something dangerous and it looks like their _favorite_ magician was in trouble. "Is it that bad?"

"It is," Killua responded, "Some people say that the technique can cut a tree in half."

"Huh....So it's _that_ bad." 

The crowd watched in anticipation on what Hisoka was going to do with this. As Kastro charged forward, the pink haired male brought his arm out, letting his opponent take it. The magician stood there with a smile on his face, but his eyes widened as Kastro disappeared. He ended up behind him, taking his right arm instead. The lost limb was thrown in the air, blood dripping from the male's open wound. Hisoka seemed to laugh at the sight, as he caught his arm.

Nen wrapped around the wound to bandage it up, his bungee gum attaching a strong string on the end of his dead hand. 

"I know what you did Kastro," Hisoka smiled, "You created a double. That's what you did." He closed his eyes, his working arm tossing the other in the air as if it were a toy.

Kastro looked at him with a similar expression. He expected him to figure it out on his own. The crowd around them gasped and questions what a double was. (Y/n) and Killua looked to each other, their minds lighting up like light bulbs. 

"I didn't think that you can do that at all with nen," (Y/n) gasped, "Wait...where does that put him in then?"

"I don't know. I know illusions are possible, but...I didn't think there were other techniques that help you get doubles that move freely like that," Killua mumbled. 

Within the blink of an eye Kastro was able to form a stunt double beside him. People cheered all around but the two nen students stood in silent awe. 

"To make doubles at will," Killua mumbled, "that's kinda cool."

(Y/n) didn't share what she thought about the whole thing because she didn't know what to say about it. This was a nen ability she has never seen before so this was sort of hard to soak in. The category was sort of difficult to place and he didn't seem to be using nen.

Words continued to rally back and forth between Hisoka and Kastro. The pink haired magician began to describe what he felt without the people in the crowd knowing about whatever they were talking about. His evaluations come to a close when the white haired male stood in his usual stance again. Kastro's hands were posed to mimic a tiger's jaws, his legs propped to be ready to strike. Hisoka looked amused and showed a more sadistic side of him. He had told his opponent that he could see the future by demonstrating a small show.

The magician started off his magic show by covering his severed arm with a piece of cloth. Hisoka's yellow orbs eyed down his opponent as he threw his hidden arm in the air. In the place of his cut off body part, a stack of cards flutters out of the cloth. On the floor they lied, scattered all over the tiles. Hisoka invites Kastro to do a basic math problem, which the solution always ends up one. 

Hisoka continued to amuse Kastro with his _magic trick_ until he pulled out the answer. The pink haired male was unfazed by his decision to stuff a hand inside his wound as he pulled out an ace. A content smile was stuck on his pale face as he looked at Kastro's nervous features. He had successfully amused the idea on him about how he was able to see the future. It wasn't true, really, but it did seem like his opponent believed him. Kastro's guard was down, making it easier to perhaps predict his moves instead. 

People around the arena looked at each other, some with the expressions of disgust and others with an amused face. (Y/n) was among the crowd that was disgusted by the sight. Her immediate reaction was to look away but Killua's was different. Instead, he was disturbed. How someone could nonchalantly dig in their open wound and grab a card was simply...something else for both parties. 

Kastro was a little irked by how Hisoka was reacting. The idea that Hisoka may be able to predict his moveset provoked him but that wasn't going to make him stand down. He was going to finally beat this man and possibly end him here. The long haired male sighed, his eyebrows furrowing at the sight of the pink haired magician. He was tired of this sort of treatment, how Hisoka played with him. Kastro's double emerged in front of him, the second body ready to strike again. One way to make him stop with his foolery would be to cut off his other arm. 

As Kastro warned Hisoka, the crowd watched intently. None of them were expecting Hisoka to offer his other hand. Everyone was silent as they watched the body doppelganger charge forward. They all began to howl as the magician's last arm was severed off. The announcer was screaming through her microphone, shock evident in her voice. (Y/n) and Killua looked at each other before turning back at the stage. They knew Hisoka wouldn't do that if he didn't have a catch. Something was wrong.

Crowds cheered, yelled, and made noise as the double returned to Kastro. Their volume decreased as they saw Hisoka's old missing limb was attached back on. One arm may be gone but there was another there, on standby. That was the catch. Hisoka was able to place back his arm in a flash. 

"What...what the hell...." (Y/n) mumbled, "Did you see him put that arm back on or...am I just seeing things." The girl didn't spare her friend a gaze as she was so focused on trying to understand Hisoka's recent magic trick. 

Killua was a little speechless himself as he didn't know what to make of this. He mumbled a short "I don't know" before silence overtook him again. 

Back in the ring, Hisoka started to smile again. He had something up his sleeve again. Perhaps another magic trick he had prepared for Kastro. As blood ran down his arm, he took steps to approach his opponent. Kastro positioned himself back to his defensive stance, his arms ready to attack the incoming male. He looked nervous, something that Hisoka wanted to see. He was happy that he was able to intimidate him with that old trick. The pink haired male has an advantage here. He could secure this win for sure.

But just to be safe, Hisoka prompted for more intimidation to better secure his win. 

The magician kept his composure, displaying a calm manner as he approached his opponent. Kastro panicked internally, causing him to act. The male lurched forward with his double. At the same time, him and his doppelganger attacked, but what stopped the real Kastro was when Hisoka glared at him. His other part had been doing the work but he stopped to give himself some space. Hisoka continued to talk, intimidating Kastro as he dodged the incoming attacks.

Hisoka had broken him down. How does he know? Well he lost his cool composure. He's acting out of panic now. 

The final move had happened for Kastro. The real version of himself moved forward to attack the vulnerable back of Hisoka but to his surprise, he was hit square on the jaw. This caused him to stand back, his double disappearing from the sudden impact on his face. Hisoka smiled at his opponent as he moved away. He was far enough away to avoid the impact of his next attack, which were incoming cards.

"You're unable to create a double, if you were thinking to do that," Hisoka spoke, "You're unable to dodge the next attack." He sent his sinister yet normal looking smile to Kastro. "You could easily attack, but I know you can't. You've devoted so much of you memory to learning how to make a double that you've lost the grasp of basic nen. You've run out of memory. That's the cause of your defeat." The pink haired magician grabbed his hand to carry it back to his room. He let his cards finish the kill for him. Pairs hit Kastro in both arms while the others pierced the rest of his body.

Kastro hit the ground, his lifeless body ensuring Hisoka's win.

Everyone in the room sat in silence as the magician left. The announcer was speechless but her mic picked up on her ragged breathing. That show was spectacular and certainly a wonder, but it also gave the two teens an idea of what Hisoka was really like. He was clearly dangerous back in the hunter exam but now he was an even bigger threat. He knew how to fight. He knew how to kill people. He was sadistic, competitive, but laid back.

Soon the announcer had enough in her to call the winner Hisoka, even if he was already out of the room. The crowd may have cheered for his victory but some were disturbed by his mannerism in this round. The match ended around 7 in the evening, with the teens having enough time to discuss about the match.

(Y/n) tugged on the straps of her backpack, her (e/c) eyes connecting with a deep blue. "That was a show," she mumbled, "there was a lot to take in there. I didn't have enough time to analyze what was happening because there was just too much going on." There a pout laid on her face as she kept walking with her friend to the rooms. "I can't just let this match go by without knowing what the hell was going on. Hisoka may have been explaining things, but I'm a little more curious to what he was doing."

"Hisoka..did a lot of stuff, yeah, but I think that's because he's Hisoka," Killua replied, "Whatever he did there...I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later. They're gonna be broadcasting this fight and it'll be all over the news, I bet ya."

"I'm gonna get a copy of the match and then try to study what happened in it. I just want to know what happened with Hisoka and how his arm just appeared out of nowhere with his cards."

The teens then changed the topic of their conversation before they checked up with Gon. In the medical ward of the tower, they knocked and peeked through the small gap in the door. The raven haired boy seemed to be a little busy meditating. There appeared to be a tray of food beside his bed, some items were already empty wrappers. Killua looked at (Y/n) to see if she wanted to see him. She seemed to be contemplating that decision, but ultimately chose not to bother him. He was already peaceful enough, best not to interact with him.

The two roamed around the tower for a little bit, ending up in the floor where their bedrooms were at. Dinner would be served in their rooms so there would be no point in dining outside tonight. (Y/n) bid her friend a good night before she disappeared behind her room where she would throw her belongings down. It had been such a busy day. First she had a run in with her aunt, where she decided to speak against the older woman, and she had watched that fight with Hisoka and Kastro. She had to make a note to gget a copy of that match so she could perhaps understand what was happening.

She could use the clip to study more about nen, improving the use of her aura with it.

First she should relax. Maybe she should sort her new clothes and have them laundered. Yeah...that sounded like a plan.

The rest of the night had been planned out, from having clothes sorted to having to call her uncle. The next few days would be routine, where (Y/n) watched Hisoka and Kastro's match to try and study the magician's work. It's like her very own research project, except no one really told her to do it. Maybe she just wanted to try and understand it.

The day came when (Y/n) decided to use gyo on her eyes. Her mind had been buzzing that afternoon. She had been stuck to her bed like how Gon was tied to his own mattress. Wrappers of food scattered around the blankets, cans of drinks were on her bedside table. She wore casual clothes, something comfortable like pajamas. The camera angles of the match really helped her figure out what happened with Hisoka and his nen. Gyo was concentrated in her eyes as she watched the magician closely.

She found traces of a pink strings attached each limb. Two stuck to the right hand while 13 were stuck on his left. That was it. That was the secret to Hisoka's ability. (Y/n) watched closely, her body scooting towards the tv. Her hands balled into fists as her lips arched into a smile. That was it. She had gotten the solution to it. There were a total of 15 strands on Hisoka, maybe even more. More shots were observed and the girl found that Hisoka's nen ability was like a combination of rubber and gum. It's elastic, invisible, but it's easy to notice if one utilizes their gyo.

The girl finished the entire show with a grin stuck to her face. She had been bouncing on her bed when Killua came knocking on her door. This caught (Y/n) off guard, but she knew that pattern from anywhere. Killua always knocked 4 times on her door. She hopped off of her bed, her eyes peeking through the small gap she opened. The white haired male sensed a new type of energy with her. Looks like she had been studying that darn match again. It had been what? The fifth day now? Killua doesn't understand how someone could look at the same match over and over again.

From the looks of it, she found something with the clips.

"Hey," Killua greeted his friend, "What's with the look?"

"I finally figured out how Hisoka did it! You cannot believe what he did," (Y/n) squealed, "I'll explain later though. Now. Why did you come knocking on my door again? Do you wanna hang out again or are we going somewhere?"

"I was gonna ask you if you wanna come with me and Gon to go to Wing's place. He's already finished his two month period of not using nen, so we decided that we might visit him." 

"I'll go," (Y/n) said, "I have no reason to hole myself in my room again." She shined a smile to her friend before she excused herself to change to something she can go out with. Killua was left standing outside her room, waiting. Soon enough Gon appeared beside him to say hi. They both waited for a few minutes before the door swung open to reveal their friend. From the small glimpse Killua had, the room was tidied, much better than before, and the lights had been turned off.

Gon greeted his friend with a smile before asking how she was. While the two had their conversation, Killua had waited for the chance to ask (Y/n) what she figured out while she had been watching Hisoka's match on repeat for the past few days. She doesn't show signs of talking to him soon, so they might have to discuss much later. For now they should get going to their teacher's home and study nen there.

The trio of teens were welcomed into the hotel room Wing was staying in. Zushi was already there ready. It looked like he had been practicing by himself. (Y/n) could tell that his aura was a little tightened but he was relaxed. The girl sent her new friend a smile before she took a seat on one of the available chairs. Her backpack was placed on the floor as she sent a wave to the teacher. She was gonna sit out for this lesson but Wing brought up Hisoka's match. This brought her to a stand so she could listen to what the eldest male in the room had to say.

"Today we'll be reviewing Hisoka's match. I'm sure (Y/n) and Killua have seen the match already, but I know you guys will have questions," Wing started, "Before you start to shoot any questions, let's take a look at the match again. I'll be stopping at the most important parts of it." 

The teacher was generous to give chances for the others to figure out what had been going on, but fortunately for (Y/n) she already had answers. Whatever question Wing was going to shoot at her, she might be able to answer them. All of the students were allowed to sit down on the mat. This viewing might as well be a review for (Y/n) but just in case she missed a few strands attached on Hisoka, she utilizes her gyo. 

Wing discussed a few important points during the video but most of it had been pointed towards Zushi, Gon, and Killua. The eldest male knew that the girl was using her nen while they were watching the match. He didn't have to ask her any questions if she knew what to do. As for the others, they might have to be quizzed on it. (Y/n) stayed silent as she looked at her friends, her smile lessening as she heard them get homework. 

"How come you don't get homework," Killua mumbled towards (Y/n). 

"What do you think I've been doing for the past five days, Killua," (Y/n) replied, "You think I turtle myself in my room without having a purpose? Nuh uh." Maybe she does that sometimes, but it wasn't like that this time. The girl sent a look to the teacher, a nod exchanged between each other. They might have to talk after the short lecture. Looks like Wing has something in plan for her. Of course he wasn't going to let her off the hook. Her uncle was like that too.

After the short talk about homework, Zushi was asked to show off his ren. The male clad in a white robe stood aside, letting his ren loose. The four could feel it and they were impressed with his progress. Zushi then transferred his ren to his eyes, making him use gyo. Wing asked him a question about how many pink strands he could see. The younger male was clearly struggling but he was able to give out an answer. "13", Zushi said, but there were two more he missed. Wing dismissed his pupil, congratulating him for his efforts before he began to tell Killua and Gon what to do. 

"Practice your ren," Wing started off, "Then you can transfer that energy to any part of your body as Gyo. That will be your assignment for now." He spared (Y/n)'s friends a smile before he looked at her. "As for you, (Y/n), I might have another task." 

(Y/n) responded with a nod. She hadn't noticed her friends looking at her as she kept her gaze on Wing. The girl was called over so the teacher and her could have a private conversation near a corner. The three boys were left to do their tasks.

"I know you're advanced," Wing said, "But I won't let you have an off day because of it. You have two assignments I want you to do. One, look over your friends for me. I can't keep an eye on Gon and Killua 24/7 so it's better if you can help me with it. Keep tabs on their progress. You can be my assistant, almost, if you want to be called that. Second, you have to practice your nen as well. You have a lot of potential, I know it. I'm sure you're familiar with how each property of nen can be combined into something else. I want you to demonstrate Ko when you come back here. If that's too easy for you, I suggest Ryu."

The girl nodded her head. Ko? She has heard of it before, has done it multiple times in the past. From her use while trying to get up the arena to back in the hunter exam where she had to skip past those steps in the first phase. Having ko should be a bit easy then. Ryu, on the other hand, seemed a little different. That was giving a percentage of nen to each body part. (Y/n) _has_ had a test on Ryu before but she had never utilized it. That might be a task she needs to learn how to do.

"Where do you want me to demonstrate?" (Y/n) asked, "I have a lot of limbs you know."

"Anywhere is fine. As long as you can demonstrate it."

It should be a little easy for the girl then. There are no specifics on it so she might as well get this task over with. Aside from what Wing wants her to do, she has to make up a completely new task for herself. She may be a little more advanced than her friends but she isn't going to slack off in mastering her nen. She might as well learn new ways to manipulate wind or anything related to it. 

The two returned back to where everyone else was. (Y/n) mumbled words to her friends, talking about her tasks before Wing decided to speak. The teacher proceeded to talk about mimicking other people's nen types. While it is possible, it is highly discouraged as each nen user has something unique about them. Wing told them that it was better to focus on mastering their skills instead of copying other people. He then told those who were in the arena that they had to sign up in the last day possible. That meant that Gon had 28 days and Killua and (Y/n) had 27 before they have to sign up.

"Now that I've said what needs to be said. You will all be free to work on what you need to work on," Wing smiled.

"Osu!"


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Don't mess with me. "

In the middle of training, Wing was generous enough to give the quartet a break. They all decided that they should explore the arena. While in one of the 200th-floor hallways, the teens had a run-in with Gido, Sadaso, and Riehlvelt. These men were persistent in trying to get a match with them and they showed no sign of giving up. One person in particular caught (Y/n)'s eye. This person wasn't at all strange or threatening, but rather annoying.

It was Sadaso, the one-armed man. The male called her by her last name, _Minimeta,_ and later spoke about wanting to fight her. He had expectations for her, which ticked her off. Sadaso expected that (Y/n) would be just as advanced as her father.

Well, unfortunately for him, there was no way she was going to satisfy his curiosity and expectations. She was her own person. She shouldn't be compared to her missing father.

The group exchanged deadlines before they left the area. (Y/n) seemed the most bitter when leaving that area. Her feelings would pursue her later in the day. (Y/n) wanted to get over the event but her mind wouldn't let her. It came to a point where she couldn't even focus on her meditation. The changes in her aura made it obvious that something is troubling her. She was forced to take breaks because of the increasing intensity of her nen. 

The walk back home wasn't pleasant, but everyone tried to cheer up (Y/n). It helped the girl a little, but she still felt anger in her system. As soon as (Y/n) reached her room, she tossed her backpack on the floor and dropped to her bed, face first. A groan leaves her throat as she thought about the event earlier. Expectations...she's been expected to be _like_ her father. Guess the coverage on her fights got to her. Anger and disgust fueled the desire to fighting Sadaso instead of avoiding him. She was pissed off, but she knew that impulsively applying for a match now wouldn't have a good outcome. Especially since she knew Wing wouldn't approve it.

The girl turned over so that she could see the ceiling lights. Her hand grabbed one of the pillows surrounding her bed, hugging it tightly. She should probably think of something else. A sigh leaves her as she laid in silence. Soon, a craving came up in her mind, prompting her to stand up and leave the room. She wanted something to eat..and she knew that the tower's cafeteria had a few stuff in there. It was an international buffet...it had almost everything in there for its fighters. 

(Y/n) walked around and eventually ended up at the elevator. Before she could press a button, she felt a familiar feeling of dread. Her immediate reaction was to raise her defense. She wrapped her nen around her before she looked around. Out of the corner of her eye, she spots a familiar black poncho. She knew that outfit anywhere. The girl wanted to be careful now. Even if she left the room hungry, she disregarded that feeling to prioritize her safety. 

"I know you're out there," (Y/n) called out in the empty hallway, "You don't have to hide, Seraphina."

A familiar woman walked out of the hallway, her smile gentle. A white eye stares down at the girl who stood beside the elevator. The appearance of the woman wasn't different overall, but the hair color changed. Before it had been blue, but then it turned to white, and now it was red. The hue complimented the woman's pale complexion. Seraphina approached slowly as to not provoke the girl to flee. The last thing the older woman wanted was to see her disappear to the elevator.

"You're getting better at noticing me. I'm impressed," Seraphina giggled, "I'm sure you're curious about my reasons for being here."

"I am and I wanna know why you're following me again."

The girl was so assertive. The change of attitude was different than what the red-haired woman witnessed in the hunter exam. Maybe through their short period of time spent apart from each other changed (Y/n) for the better. She was no longer...scared of her. She had toughened up her act. Ah...the progress...she was so proud of her.

"I wasn't," Seraphina cooed, "I wanted to participate in the arena. I never thought that you were here as well." The red-haired female's smile widened. Lies left her mouth. The woman knew she wasn't here to participate, but rather oversee this girl's progress. She had been hired before by a certain someone to hunt her down. The bounty was high on her head, but seeing this girl's growth was simply fascinating. It would be unfortunate to kill off a child with so much potential. Her father would be devastated to hear that his little girl would die at her hands.

"Right." (Y/n) knew that she still had to be cautious when it came to this woman. She remembered that Seraphina said that there was a bounty on her head. She wasn't taking any chances with this woman. "Why were you following me here then? Couldn't you have just walked to your room and be off?"

Oh, how curious. Maybe...too curious. Still, Seraphina would be willing to give her answers. She wanted to gain her trust so that she could properly survey and watch her growth without having this tense barrier around her. It was weird for the female as well. It was almost an attachment to her, like a scientist with his lab rat. Maybe this attachment blossomed when they met each other. Seraphina had finally gotten to see the daughter of Angelo Minimeta in the flesh...maybe it felt like she was doing someone a favor by watching over her. 

"Do you know what my nen ability is?" Seraphina asked.

The question caught the girl off guard for a bit. Biting back with a question huh? Well, certainly Seraphina wouldn't be upfront with her reasons for being here.

"No," (Y/n) mumbled, "But I think I get an idea." No, she really doesn't have an idea. All the girl knew was that it had something to do with her blind eye and something about the future. She can't get too specific on her abilities though.

"I thought you were smarter than this," the red-haired woman cooed, "Or maybe you're lying." Seraphina tilted her head to the side as she closed in on the girl. The distance shortened, from around 30 feet in front of them to 6 feet. Her hands unwrapped the bandages that covered her blind eye. The area around it started to glow, indicating that Seraphina's nen was charged. "Regardless if you did lie earlier, I'll still show you. I feel like I'm obligated to." 

Energy resonated from the fortune-teller as she hummed. Her eye continued to glow, her smile never faltered. "I can tell the general future. I know you want me to prove it so I will. Your friend, Gon, is going to come from that hallway in a few minutes. He's hungry and he's headed to the food court." It would be easy to back up her claim if she showed (Y/n) the vision itself. Seraphina lent out her hand, waiting for the girl to take it. 

"Trust me," the woman sighed, "I can assure you you're going to be okay."

Seraphina's mannerism was unnerving for the girl. Her personality was different than what she saw back in the hunter exam. For (Y/n), it felt like the woman was trying to give her a false sense of security. She did this before and she wasn't sure if she should take the bait. The girl's curiosity told her that she should believe her just once, so she could see if Seraphina could really tell the future. Her gut was telling her to leave but her legs wouldn't move. Instead of going with her doubt, (Y/n) wanted to satisfy her curiosity. She placed her hand against the older woman's palm and immediately she felt energy shoot inside her. It was as if Seraphina's nen merged with her own. 

Her vision blurred and soon she was seeing something that played like a video. It was clear for her and she could see Gon coming out of the hallway to go to the elevator. (Y/n) jerked her hand away from the older woman's, feeling the energy drain from her. The girl may have seen something, but she won't believe it unless she sees it actually happen.

Just as Seraphina predicted, Gon appeared from the hallway, his eyes widening at the sight of them. It was like he wasn't expecting them at all. The male seemed wary by the sight of Seraphina and (Y/n) together at such close proximity. Gon was almost certain that his friend would have been gone by now. 

(Y/n) felt the same shock her friend felt. It made the girl gulp as anxiety fills her stomach. If Seraphina's thing was seeing the future clearly, then it would be difficult to fight her, if they ever do fight. She was hoping not soon. The girl's gotta wonder though...is there really a weakness to Seraphina's power? Well whatever it was, it would take the girl a while to get.

"I told you so," Seraphina giggled. She turned to send a soft greeting to the boy before returning her attention to (Y/n). There were still a few things she wanted to discuss with the young girl. When her aura connected with (Y/n)'s, she could see specific events that seemed significant to her. Seeing (Y/n)'s future wasn't easy, as she had to split her power in half. As she was projecting a playback of a vision she had before touching the girl's hand, she gained a new one once they held hands.

Through a quick overlap of destinies, Seraphina was able to see something. A fight between (Y/n) and a man named Sadaso. Initially, the girl didn't want to fight him, as she was afraid of her teacher's judgment. (Y/n) would change her mind later as she talked with one of the men through a phone. The fight would be arranged after that call. The following events were blurry, but she was aware of the definite outcome. Sadaso would forfeit because of an unknown force and (Y/n) would be given a win. Even if Seraphina hadn't planned on seeing her future, she figured that she might as well say what she uncovered.

"I have something to discuss with you, (Y/n)," Seraphina whispered, "Meet me at the buffet. I'll be at a window seat. I'm sure you'll be able to recognize me." The older woman placed a hand on the girl's shoulder before she disappeared behind the elevator's doors. The teenage girl was left standing, her eyes staring at her friend Gon. (Y/n) could see him approach her with a nervous smile.

"She uh...didn't hurt you right?" Gon asked. He was worried about her. He knew that the woman was her old target back in the hunter exam. He was worried if there was still some bad blood between them.

"No..she didn't," (Y/n) mumbled, "But... I figured out her ability though." 

The answer caught Gon off guard. He didn't expect her to learn about the woman's ability during their short encounter. Maybe Seraphina was willing to open up since they're not in a stressful environment. Still, Gon was worried about the older woman's intention to reveal her nen like that. Was Seraphina perhaps trying to make (Y/n) trust her? It did seem like that to him.

"I think she's a specialist," (Y/n) followed her initial response, "Her eye glows for a moment, which is where she gets her visions. If she holds you while having a vision, she can show it to you. The thing is though....with her ability, it feels more like a general future rather than someone's specific future." It felt like (Y/n) was missing something. Maybe there was more. Seraphina was definitely an elite nen user that had more nen abilities. (Y/n) was only shown one.

"I'm gonna go talk to her Gon."

"Wait...why?"

"I want to ask her things...and besides, she wants to talk to me about something. I think I'll be fine if you're ever worried about that." (Y/n) sent her friend a smile before approaching the elevator. She could hear footsteps beside her, finding that her friend was going to follow her.

"You headed to the cafeteria too?" (Y/n) asked. She had a smile on her face as she looked up at her friend. 

"Hey, how'd you know?"

"Seraphina told me."

A giggle springs from the girl's throat, prompting the male to do the same. The elevator ride down was pleasant. (Y/n) and Gon talked about a few things on the way down. Their topics usually revolved around the fortune-teller and food. As soon as their small box came to a stop, they both walked out. 

In the cafeteria, (Y/n) started to look for her _acquaintance._ It didn't take long for the girl to find her. Seraphina sat beside a large window, her legs crossed. She swirled around a glass of wine as she looked outside the window. She was waiting for her there. Surely Seraphina didn't mind if she grabbed some food right? The girl moved with her friend, making their way to the stalls that offered food. She grabbed a plate and put anything she wanted in there. She'll get dessert afterward.

"You wanna go to her by yourself?" Gon asked, "Are you sure?"

(Y/n) nodded her response before smiling at her friend. "You can probably sit close by though. She'll notice you but I don't think she minds." The girl's (e/c) eyes look toward the woman again, finding that she had finished her glass and had asked a waiter to fill it again. For some reason, (Y/n) felt nervous again. She doesn't trust the woman yet, but since they're in a public area, (Y/n) doubted that anything bad would happen to her.

She should just loosen up and get this talk over with.

The girl dismissed herself to approach Seraphina. Her steps were small and careful. Placing the plate and her cup down gently, (Y/n) gets herself seated. (E/c) eyes look up to a single white iris. Silence developed around them and soon enough it felt like they were the only ones in the room.

"What did you want to talk about, Seraphina," (Y/n) asked as she took a bite of her meal. She could hear a small laugh coming from the woman.

"Call me Sera," the red-haired woman cooed, "It's fewer syllables and easy to remember." Seraphina placed her wine glass down so she could rest her chin on her palm. "I wanted to talk about something I saw when we held hands." The older woman's smile grew, unnerving the younger lady. "Don't worry, it's nothing too serious. It's more like I'm doing you a favor." She sent a wink to (Y/n), making the younger look away in disgust.

"Well whatever it is, it better be good. I don't think I'm really comfortable sitting in front of you," (Y/n) spoke. She took another bite of her food, drinking it down with her beverage afterward. 

"I know. I'll be quick, that's for sure," Seraphina sighed, "I'll be quick enough so you can have your little dinner date with your friend over there." Her slender fingers pointed towards a raven-haired boy sitting a couple of chairs away from them. "I'm okay with Gon sitting there. I don't even care if he manages to eavesdrop. It might as well be useful for him too," Seraphina hummed, "As I said, I'll make it quick so you can talk to him again." A soft laugh leaves the woman's throat, catching the girl's attention. "You should apply for a match against Sadaso on May 31st."

(Y/n) stared at the woman in doubt. She ate another piece of her food, refusing to answer her as she munched. As her throat cleared, she was able to speak and ask questions. "I can't apply for matches yet, but you gotta tell me why you're making me do it."

"The outcomes will be in your favor. Trust me," Seraphina smiled, "If you need proof, I can show you the vision I had earlier when we were both alone near the elevator." Her single eye closed as she hummed. A dim, subtle light came from her nonfunctioning eye as she held out her palm. (Y/n) looked at it, finding that she wanted to do what she did earlier. Cautiously she placed her palm on top of the other woman's. Just like before, (Y/n) felt a shot of energy shoot through her.

The movie in her head looked like the near future. It seemed to be one of the many possibilities the universe can go by. Sadaso could be seen packing his things from his room and immediately calling a forfeit. The one-armed man seemed nervous, actually, like he was threatened by something or someone. It all ended when Seraphina pulled away from her hand. The vision left (Y/n) in a dazed state. The older woman snapped her hands in front of the girl's gaze, making her come back to her sense. 

"I-" (Y/n) stuttered out, "huh?" The girl shook her head. Her vision was blurry but it soon cleared. A smile was seen on Seraphina's pale face as she rested her chin on her palm. "Wait...was that true? Will that actually happen?"

A chuckle leaves the red-haired female's throat as she tilted her head to the side. "My visions are absolute, you know. If I say it'll happen, then it will." Seraphina softly hums as she sipped her wine. "As soon as you head to your room, you'll be getting a call from one of the men you encountered today. They'll tell you that they want matches. I say you'll oblige to them. In the upcoming month, you'll have enough training to get you by each match. They'll be easy."

Seraphina pushes her hair away from her face as she stood up. She downed the glass of wine before she gently placed it back on the table. She called the waiter over to deal with her glass. Before she could depart, (Y/n) called out to her.

"Sera," (Y/n) spoke, "Why are you helping me?" 

The red-haired woman turned around to smile at her. "I'm doing you a favor, (Y/n)," Seraphina hummed, "You'll eventually understand when the time comes."

Quietly, Seraphina walked away from the room. As the waiter approached her, (Y/n) smiled at him before moving to where Gon was. She mumbled a small greeting before taking a seat across him. 

"Did you finally get the mackerel you wanted?" (Y/n) joked, "Or did you get a smoked salmon again?"

"Oh, I definitely got my mackerel. This is like- my fifth one!" Gon grinned, "Oh...by the way how was the talk with Seraphina? I noticed that you've been acting differently around her. I tried my best not to keep staring at you guys, but sometimes...I can't help it." A nervous laugh leaves the male's throat as he ate his fish.

"Yeah well...I don't know if I can trust her or not. She's definitely weird though. I feel like...she's gonna use me, but I don't know," (Y/n) sighed, "She's helping me, I guess. She says that she was doing me a favor. I don't know if I can count her on that. Fortune telling is....sketchy sometimes you know?"

"I get that. I can't trust her either," Gon mumbled, "Oh well. You'll just have to see huh?"

"I suppose so."

The two teens continued to eat until they decided that it was time to go to bed. Gon walked (Y/n) to her room before muttering "good night." As soon as the girl was alone in her room, she thought about what Seraphina talked about. What are the chances of getting a call from one of the three guys that bothered her earlier? Perhaps...super high, since Seraphina's nen seemed credible. The girl didn't want the thought to occupy her mind so she went on ahead to do her business. Minutes go by without a call.

As soon as the young girl was out of the shower, she heard her telephone ring. A sigh comes from her as she approached the phone. She isn't dressed up in pajamas yet. What a bummer. (Y/n) grabbed the phone and mumbled a soft hello. Immediately she could recognize the voice. It was Sadaso calling her. 

"Ms. Minimeta," Sadaso breathed, "We have your friend Zushi with us."

(Y/n)'s eyes widened. Seraphina did say that this was going to happen. Maybe the other things she said earlier were going to happen too. A frown appeared on her face as she listened to Sadaso's terms. "Sign up for matches," he says, "and we'll bring back Zushi." The girl stood in silence for a moment before she replied.

"I'll sign up for your stupid matches," the girl cursed, "Hopefully you'll keep your word and bring Zushi back home." She hung up immediately so she didn't have to waste her time. (Y/n) put on her pajamas and walked out with slippers. She didn't care if anyone saw her like this. The (h/c) haired girl brushed her wet hair as she walked to the signup booth. She could see three men waiting for her. Instead of being scared and cautious about the scenario, she was irritated and tired.

This was a chore.

"May 31st," Sadaso spoke, "June 3rd for Gido. June 9th for Riehlvelt." 

"Yeah yeah, I get it," (Y/n) snapped. The girl approached the booth and put on a smile as to not intimidate the poor clerk. "Matches with what they were saying yeah? I'll sign the papers afterward." (Y/n) lightly tapped her hands against the hard surface, paying no mind to the men behind her. She had no business talking to them anyway. As soon as she signed the application papers, she smiled at the woman behind the booth. She bid her a goodnight before walking past the males. 

The event wouldn't bother the woman as much. There was something else in her mind that she was worried about...she was worried about Wing's reaction to her applications.

The next day would arrive soon. The event last night still occupied the girl's mind and she was nervous about asking Wing permission to fight.

On the walk to their teacher's place, Gon noticed how troubled (Y/n) looked. Killua wasn't here to point out the obvious, so he was sort of anxious to ask her about it. Eventually, after a few glances at her, the raven-haired boy decided that it might be best to ask her. 

"Are you okay?" Gon asked, "Looks like something's on your mind again."

"There's always something on my mind, Gon," (Y/n) joked, "It's nothing to worry about, really. It's just...something happened last night and I don't know how Wing is gonna respond to it."

"Did you....did you get asked to sign up for matches too?" Gon tilted his head to the side, "I got blackmailed too ya know...I guess we'll just have to see how Wing is going to react." He sent a soft smile to his friend before lightly patting her back. They'll have to discuss it with their teacher about it soon. Gon was confident that Wing was going to be okay with the matches, but he wasn't sure about (Y/n), since she was given another task.

Soon they arrived at Wing's hotel room, ready to show off what they've learned in the past two days. Gon was able to demonstrate his use of Gyo, earning him the privilege to go forward with his fight. This left (Y/n) to show what she had been learning.

Once she was given a large enough space, she concentrated her aura. Her nen started pouring out her body at such intensity. It was clear, peaceful, and strong. It was like a waterfall, really, rather than a river. To demonstrate Ko, she had to concentrate her nen on a specific part of her body. She decided to give it to her hand. Nen flowed through her and eventually ended on her hand. Once she opened her eyes, she could see the wind swirling around her entire arm. (Y/n) had to control the speed of her arm so she couldn't rip her skin. 

"I'm impressed," Wing smiled, "I should have expected this from you, however. You pulled it off with no effort. Can you demonstrate Ryu? This was your second task. Surely you can, right?"

"Yeah, I think so," (Y/n) mumbled. The girl retracted her nen so that she has a clear zero. Soon she starts placing her aura to her feet and her hand. A small portion of her aura wrapped around the rest of her body. Nen around her feet made her levitate off the ground just a bit and wind quickly swirled around her arm. "This is...uhh...Ryu right?"

Wing studied his student, finding that she was already too familiar with the things he wanted her to demonstrate. He guessed he should have expected this too. She's just as talented as her father, he guessed. Wing's smile never faltered as he nodded his head. "Well done. You've successfully finished your tasks for this week. Even if you've had difficulty concentrating yesterday, you still passed. You're able to fight in the upcoming fight, (Y/n), but make sure you're ready for your matches."

Zushi and Gon watched in wonder as (Y/n) placed herself down. As she released her nen, they could feel a swift cool breeze sweep them by. Zushi was sweating, nervous that he wasn't good enough to beat his peers. Sure he knew that (Y/n) was advanced, but he didn't think she was _that_ advanced. The same goes for Gon and Killua as well.

Shortly after, Killua appeared. Everyone in the room greeted him with smiles. Wing thanked him for bringing Zushi back home, which made (Y/n) tilt her head to the side. Killua brought Zushi home? She thought that the three guys brought him back home. 

While Killua demonstrated his use of Gyo, (Y/n) wondered if her friends were involved with it too. That meant that Gon and Killua were going to fight the same people as her. The thought would continue to occupy her head until she was able to ask them later in the day.

"They got to you too, huh Killua?" (Y/n) mumbled, "Gon told me about his own involvement earlier. I got a call from them last night saying that I'd have to fight them so I can save Zushi." The girl's hands clench into fists. "I swear I can't stand those people."

"They make me mad too, don't worry," Gon chimed in, "At least we're able to fight them. I'm worried about Zushi though. I don't want him to get hurt because of us."

"Oh don't worry. They won't be able to hurt Zushi or us every again. I promise," Killua replied. He had a light smile on his face, but it was clear that he was thinking about something sinister. Gon and (Y/n) knew that he was an assassin. He might use his tactics to do something about Sadaso. The thing is, they don't know what he'll do.

They would soon find out, however, on the day of Killua and Sadaso's match. The stadium was packed with rowdy watchers, but their excitement would die down in the upcoming minutes. Soon, Sadaso was reported to have forfeited all of his matches and is preparing to leave the arena.

(Y/n), Gon, and Killua win their matches by default.

In the upcoming days, the three teens practiced their techniques. (Y/n) grew less dependent on the amount of air in her surrounding area. She began to develop a way to create her own at a faster pace. Her meditation and concentration helped her create new techniques. She carefully demonstrated her new abilities to her friends, making sure that the concentration of her wind wasn't too strong to push them against a wall. 

In the next day, (Y/n) had to prepare for her fight against Gido, since Sadaso forfeited his match. The girl was in a familiar setting once more. She walked in a dark hallway, alone with her thoughts. In the distance, she could hear crowds cheering. Light shined on her form as she made it to her platform. Gido was already standing there, waiting for her. The announcer spoke through the speakers, cheering with the crowd. In no time, their match started. 

"Here goes nothing," (Y/n) mumbled. 

The girl wrapped herself with defenses. The coverage of her ten extended beyond her, giving her space to breathe. Her (e/c) eyes watch Gido carefully, finding that he was shooting tops at her. A sigh leaves her mouth. She expects that since tops were his gimmick. Using a technique she had learned in the hunter exam, she generates a jelly-like shield to catch the projectiles. She smiles at the sight of floating toys in front of her. Ultimately those drop to the floor. 

(Y/n) approaches Gido slowly with a smile on her face. She stops far enough. More tops come out of him, which proved to be a futile attack, as she caught them again. The girl took her time with him as she waited for an opening. She placed some of her nen to her eyes to use a weaker but effective gyo. 

His body was protected by his own aura, but it was weaker on his pegleg. She can probably disrupt that barrier. There are many ways to penetrate through someone's aura. One way might be to fight it head-on. Of course (Y/n) isn't going to sacrifice her arm. She'll probably do something else. As the radius of her ten decreased, she increased the percentage of nen she had on her arms. Together she was able to create a clear ball that whirled around at high speeds. It matched Gido's speed, but it may seem faster. It could easily disrupt his aura and fly him backward.

"Hey," (Y/n) called out to Gido, smiling, "You know how to play catch?"

The question caught the male off guard, but he didn't stop spinning. Gido could be heard laughing as he tried to answer (Y/n). "You think this is a childish game?"

"It may as well be. If you don't know how to play catch, I'll be in luck!"

(Y/n) threw her projectile down at Gido's single leg. As she expected, it staggered him enough to lower his speed. Gido was in shock because he couldn't see anything on her arms at the time. Since he was running at a much slower rate, (Y/n) continued to hit his pegleg. Each hit made him more vulnerable until he was unable to generate enough nen to protect himself. Gido worried about his decreasing chances of winning that he didn't see (Y/n) running towards him, kicking him at his vulnerable leg. The tired male looked at the girl before tipping over. 

Gido was in disbelief as he laid on the floor. He was tired, his nen almost depleted. He was unable to keep his defenses since his legs had been constantly targeted.

"Sad that you didn't know how to play catch," (Y/n) sighed, "Bet you didn't even see what I was throwing huh?" A giggle leaves her, "Oh well. Sucks to be you." The girl walked over to stomp Gido's weakened pegleg, rendering him disabled. "You can't move now. Looks like I win~!"

Another laugh leaves her before she crouches down to Gido's level. "Here's another thing I gotta tell ya." Her soft gaze turns to a harsh glare, causing Gido to sweat. "Don't you dare use my friends. If you don't get the memo, I'm sure I'll disable more than your pegleg." As soon as she stands up, (Y/n) puts on her soft smile. The girl walked off of the match as she heard the announcer cheered for her. The girl gets the win for this one, making her scores 2 wins to 0 losses.

Because of Gido's disability, Killua and Gon win by default.

The upcoming fight was between Killua and a man in a wheelchair named Riehlvelt. (Y/n) and Gon were in the crowd, watching their friend. From (Y/n) and Gon's view, the match wasn't at all that bad. Killua was holding himself up there pretty well. There was one thing that bothered the girl, however, and that was how her friend managed to withstand high voltage whips.

"You think that's like...okay? Because I don't think that's okay," (Y/n) whispered to Gon.

"He's probably raised to take pain like that," Gon responded.

Killua won his match by grabbing the whips at the end and launching Riehlvelt at an astonishing height. The only way you would have survived falling from that height is if you knew how to float down. Unfortunately for Riehlvelt, he didn't know how to, so he had to fall on Killua's arms. He ended up getting knocked out by his own weapon, which secured Killua his win.

The teens rallied together as soon as Killua made it out of his match. (Y/n) was the first to run and greet him, followed by Gon.

"You good?" (Y/n) asked Killua.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I dunno. I would have thought those electric whips woulda hurt."

"Nah, I'm okay. I can tolerate it, but I can't fully withstand the pain. It really really fucking hurt, ya know." Killua shoved his hands in his pockets and yawned.

"Did you _really_ have to curse?" Gon mumbled.

"I needed to. How else would you know how it felt? I could, like, probably give you a good amount of pain and it'll feel like what I felt ya know?"

"there's no neeeeed," Gon replied, "Anyway...you did well out there Killua!"

After discussing how Killua felt, the trio talked about their plans for this week. Killua and Gon expressed their concern when it came to (Y/n)'s upcoming fight with Riehlvelt. The girl assured them that she was going to be okay during her match, or at least she was hoping. She had to think of a plan to catch those whips, or perhaps move the guy out of his wheelchair.

Through the following days before the match, that thought was the only thing she could think about. Eventually, while meditating, she figured out what do to. Her sudden revelation caused her classmates to look at her weirdly, prompting her to explain what made her suddenly squeal in delight. She would then try to learn a new technique with her nen and she would use her friends for help. It was tough, honestly, because she had such a short timespan.

The day for Riehlvelt and (Y/n)'s match came, and in the morning the girl was a little nervous. She wasn't sure if it'll actually work. With Gido's fight, she was confident because she already knew how to use the technique she used. With her plans for Riehlvelt, she was still trying to master this new ability. A sigh leaves (Y/n) as she enters the arena, her hands tightly holding on to her backpack's straps. 

As usual, the announcer yelled through her speakers to introduce the fighters. (Y/n) stared at Riehlvelt as they waited for their match to start. She was trying to find possible openings to get her nen under his chair. She was planning to use air to lift him up and make him fall. The technique she's going to use is new and recently developed. She would have to concentrate really hard to pull this off.

The match started while (Y/n) was thinking about how to approach it. Her eyes followed her opponent, finding that he was already on his way over. The girl swiftly moved away from him to dodge his upcoming attack. Now they were at opposite ends, but still a good enough distance away from each other. (Y/n) stared at Riehlvelt as he tried to move again. The outcome was the same as before. 

Riehlvelt figured that the girl was waiting for an opportunity to strike. The male wanted to avoid getting hit by her so he started whipping his weapons around. It gave him a good barrier all over his body. Unlike his _friend Gido_ , this one was really impenetrable. Through the gaps of his flailing whips, he found (Y/n) standing still. Riehlvelt laughed as he thought about something. Maybe provoking her to move would make her recklessly dive into the whips. 

"What's the matter?" Riehlvelt asked, "Are ya scared?"

"No," (Y/n) responded, "But you will be."

The exchange between them did provoke (Y/n) to move, but she didn't move towards the whips. She turned to the side and found a vulnerable opening. Just to his right, the pattern of his whips made an opening on the floor.

That was it. That was the spot.

The girl lowered her defenses in favor of offense. In a split second, (Y/n) transformed her nen into a controllable gust of wind. It moved under his chair, right where (Y/n) wanted it to be. Slowly her nen would build up under his chair, rattling the male in the process.

Riehlvelt noticed that something was under him, but he couldn't see what it was. It was rowdy and unpleasant. If enough of her nen got under his chair, that would be a problem. Instead of increasing his defenses, Riehlvelt thought that he would be better off attacking. He moved his body to face her and decided to hit her with one of his whips.

That would prove to be a big mistake.

(Y/n)'s opponent was vulnerable by then, and she knew what to do. Mustering and creating more wind using her nen, she stacks and increases the pressure. As soon as enough wind was placed under the chair, it was lifted just a few inches above the floor. 

"Have a safe trip up!" (Y/n) grinned. She knew by her opponent's face that he didn't understand what she meant by that. He would soon know.

As (Y/n) lifted her hand up, the wind she controlled mimicked the motion. Soon Riehlvelt's chair was tossed up in the air. The male wasn't strapped on to his chair, which made it difficult for him to stay on. (Y/n) waited for him to drop a specific height before she could jump over his body. As a second passes by, she makes her way up.

"I'll be taking thissss~" the (h/c) haired girl giggled. Her hands yanked away Riehlvelt's whips and flew above his head. Using her nen, she utilizes Ko to place wind at her feet for landing support. She managed to land on her two feet and her hands went up in the air like a gymnast. 

Riehlvelt didn't land so gracefully, as he fell on his side with his wheelchair inches away from him. It was hard for him to move due to the impact. He was heard groaning and coughing. Using his hands, he weakly propped himself up.

(Y/n) stood just a few feet away from him, her hands holding his weapons. The girl didn't think that would work. Hell! She didn't even think she could do what she wanted to do! Looks like her nen works better under certain pressures. 

A smile made its way to (Y/n)'s face as she looked at Riehlvelt. "Yooo," (Y/n) chirped, "I have whips now! That's pretty cool!" The girl kept her childish enthusiasm as she cracked the whip's tail. It was close enough to Riehlvelt to scare him. "How do these work? Wait...am I stealing these from you?" The girl giggled as she continued to play with the weapons. She pressed a button, which caused the whips to light up. 

"Hey! I found the button!" (Y/n) laughed, "Yo do you wanna try the whips? I wonder if you've felt the pain other's felt when you hit them!" 

The sight scared Riehlvelt to the point where he passed out. (Y/n) tilted her head to the side as she dropped the weapons and approached her opponent. She poked his cheek and found that he had knocked out. "Geez...Already? I didn't even test them out on you." The girl stuck her tongue out before giggling. "Guess I win again."

(Y/n) left the arena to meet up with her friends. She goes about her business and continues to train her nen with her friends. Within the coming days, Gon had his match with Riehlvelt. Just like (Y/n) and Killua, Gon managed to beat his opponent by using his weapons against him. After that point, it seemed that Riehlvelt left the arena, never to be seen again.

Scores among the three were tallied. Killua had 3 wins and 0 losses. (Y/n) had the same score as her white-haired friend, while Gon had a single loss on his belt. The three celebrate their victories during the night, sharing dinner at the cafeteria. Wing and Zushi would be invited of course. Once the day ends, they all retire to bed. 

They'll have their rest, but tomorrow, it's back to training again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n:  
> Hello everyone! I hope you're all okay!! <3  
> I just wanna say thank you for reading! I know it seems like I'm like....a super quiet author, but really I get lazy to put notes sometimes!! 
> 
> If you have any comments, please feel free to say them! I want to know everyone's input!! I know different readers like different things so I'll try my best to make my stuff enjoyable! <3
> 
> I brought back an oc in this chapter, and she has a different hair color! Do you think she's changing her hair color on purpose, or am I just a dumb dumb that keeps doing it by accident hehe!
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and once again!! Thank you for reading! <3


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " We've all had our victories today. "

Through the passing days, the teens continue their nen training. Gon and Killua had been working on their nen for a while along with Zushi. (Y/n) had independent training as Wing said she was more advanced. She was given harder tasks to do, like constantly improving some of her skills.

Progress has been going great so far! As of now, (Y/n) can move her nen with much more freedom. The more she used it, she got comfortable with the flow and movement. Soon enough, the movement of the wind felt natural, even if it was just (Y/n)'s nen. 

Today is the day where her friends learned what category they fell on. (Y/n) was beside Wing, acting like a teacher's assistant. The two looked at each other before they introduced the idea of Hatsu. The girl chimed in on the lesson with a smile on her face. She was excited to see what category her friends were on! Maybe they'll be different, or the same! 

"Each one of you would fall under these 6 spots," Wing explained, "While you can learn other techniques from each category, it's much better to focus on the type you have." The black-haired teacher drew a hexagon with each point having their own name. There were 6 different ones; there was the enhancer, the transmuter, the conjurer, the specialist, the manipulator, and finally the emitter. "The categories next to your title would be easier to learn, but the easiest one to learn would be what you fall under."

As Wing continued to explain the different types of nen, (Y/n) took it upon herself to get the glass and the leaf. She filled up the wine glass with water and had the leaf sit on top of it. Carefully she placed it on a small table in front of her friends before she scurried off to Wing's side. She had a bright smile on her face. She was just excited, that's all.

"What's your type (Y/n)?" Gon asked. His head tilted to the side. 

"Me?" (Y/n) replied, "I'm a transmuter! The wind I use comes from my aura, and I can usually manipulate the air around me because the air I create molds with the one already in the area." The girl conjured a small ball of air in her palm and smiled at her friends. "If you use Gyo on my hands, you can partially see the air I have. I also could make invisible constructs, which would sort of fall under the conjurer ability." 

"Woah..." Gon gasped, "That's cool!" His hands reached out to grab the invisible ball. (Y/n) happily tossed it to him. Her gaze shifts to both Zushi and Killua. 

"You have an advantage, ya know that?" Killua commented, "I mean...people don't usually use gyo right? I think they would be preoccupied with their own nen to use it. It's obvious in Kastro and Hisoka's fight." The white-haired male stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled. "I guess that's cool too."

Wing directed the teens back to their lesson and had (Y/n) disperse her nen so they could focus on their lesson. The eldest male continued to explain before it all came down to the water divination test. The teacher explained the purpose of it and how it could tell someone their nen type. (Y/n) had to do a demonstration first so that the others could get an example. It didn't take a while for the girl to change the water, as she already knew what to do. It was simple really. One had to use their ren to see what kind of person they are.

"Doneeee," (Y/n) grinned, "The water should taste different now." Everyone rallied in front of the class and each tapped their fingers in the water. Each person had a surprised look on their faces. 

"Hey...why it is hella sweet?" Killua mumbled, "It kinda...tastes like strawberry too. That's....huh." As a sweet tooth, the male almost dabbed his hand in the water again, but he refrained.

"Okay, everyone. You must all have a turn at demonstrating your nen," Wing smiled, "You guys need to settle on who goes first, second, and last." The girl and the teacher stepped back and looked at each other. They see Gon, Killua, and Zushi go into a rock, paper, scissors battle. The competition was short and the results were lined up. Gon had to go first, then Zushi, and finally Killua. Each successfully showed their mastery of nen. 

Gon proved to be an enhancer like Wing, Zushi was a manipulator, while Killua was a transmuter like (Y/n). 

Wing gave more assignments to the teens so they could focus on working their nen. As usual, (Y/n) had different tasks than her friends. She was supposed to work more on strengthening her abilities so she could lift more than a chair or a simple table. The next goal for the girl was to lift one of her friends using her nen. To get that, Wing told her to focus on meditating. It was like practicing Ko, except instead of it being in her body, it was outside.

Days continue to pass, and every morning the teens get stronger in their own way. (Y/n) wasn't extraordinarily fast but she was getting there. Killua and Gon managed to get through their nen training, but they knew there had to be more. Zushi appeared to be the only one lagging, which was a little unfortunate since he had been working on nen for months now. It only took Gon and Killua a few weeks, maybe just a month, to learn the basics of nen. 

Then came the day of graduation, a day (Y/n) happened to miss. 

The girl woke up around noon, which is way past the time she goes out with her friends. (Y/n) scrambles out of her bed, throwing on clothes, and then tossing her laundry on her bed. She shoved her feet in her shoes and she grabbed her backpack, spriting to the elevator. Before she could pass the hallway, she felt a familiar presence.

It was her. Seraphina. She was out to mess with her day again.

(Y/n) stopped herself and looked over to where the woman was leaning against. Her (e/c) eyes connect with a single white. She tugged on the strap of her backpack and turned her head away. "What do you want again?"

"Can I not hang out in the hallway and admire the city from here?"

"If you wanted to look out the city, you would have been closer to the window."

"Ooooo....you do have a point."

A giggle comes from the older woman as she moved towards the glass. Her hands gently touched the hard, transparent material. "Isn't this place so pretty?" 

"What do you _want,_ Seraphina."

The fortune-teller turned her head to look at the young girl. Ah...so serious. She loved it. She was certainly getting mature. She would probably be as serious as her father by the time the crisis comes here. How lovely, but also tragic, since it would be harder to...

"Nothing~" Seraphina sang, "You can scurry off. I just...wanted to see you I guess. I got worried you got kicked out of your old home." The woman didn't spare another glance at her, nor did (Y/n). The girl was in a hurry after all. She didn't want to sit and chat with a person she knew she couldn't trust. Sure she might have helped her out with a problem, but other than that, they were just... _acquaintances._

(Y/n) continued to dash around to get to Wing's hotel room. Traffic wasn't giving her an easy time, as at every stoplight, she comes across, she was met with a red hand. All she could do was stand still among the crowd of strangers, who sometimes gawked at her for being a celebrity in the tower. The girl was lucky since none of these people were her aunt. 

Cutting corners and eventually running down a busy sidewalk, (Y/n) makes a quick turn to get to Wing's home. She opened the door easily as it was unlocked and quietly let herself inside. She wanted to make the entrance as silent as possible, but Wing already saw her and called her over to congratulate her friends.

"Sorry, I overslept," (Y/n) mumbled.

"You passed out last night," Killua spoke, "Like you were hella tired. I couldn't even wake you up in the morning, no matter how hard I banged at your door. I almost got kicked out for being a l _oud nuisance_ , or that's at least what your neighbors said." 

A sigh could be heard coming from the teacher as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You overwork yourself (Y/n)," Wing said, "I told you many times not to do so. It'll take out a lot of your energy and you don't want all of that going to waste. You need to balance everything out." Wing's steel grey eyes connected with a pair of (e/c)s. "Consider this as a warning, but if you keep getting strikes from me, I'm prohibiting you from overworking yourself."

"You sound like my uncle, Wing," (Y/n) giggled, "But fine. I'll _try_ not to overwork myself." She could be heard sighing as she stretched. 

Wing continued to talk about nen and he even mentioned who already started learning nen while they were working in the arena. Kurapika and Hanzo were already learning nen. Hisoka and Illumi already had nen, to begin with. Leorio had to pass his medical exams first before he could officially start learning nen. 

The news of Leorio learning nen last surprised the trio, but they understand. Well, Killua was a little fussy about it, as he said that he could probably just _start_ learning nen while in medical school. He ended up getting smacked by (Y/n). 

"Don't you know how hard medical school is?!"

"And??"

"Leorio needs to study a lot! Like a lot! He needs all his focus on books. He can always do nen later."

The celebration continues after that and everyone in the room got their free day. Zushi was a little surprised that he got to have a day off, even if he didn't graduate himself. Gon decided to have dinner with all of his friends and (Y/n) offered to pay it off with the credit card she had. She had completely forgotten about that thing in the pockets of her wallet. She had been using her arena money all this time. 

During their dinner celebration, Wing talked with Gon about his match with Hisoka. The rest of the teens at the table knew, but seeing how they secretly talked about it made it seem serious. Killua nudged (Y/n) while dining on his meal. He was already stuffing his face with a piece of meat and another piece of shrimp.

"You excited for Gon and Hisoka's fight?" The white-haired boy spoke, his mouth filled with food. 

(Y/n) looked to him and rolled her eyes. "Can you eat first? Like- can you at _least_ chew your food before you say anything?"

"Why should I? You could understand me just fine!"

"Just fine? Oh really?" (Y/n) smiled before she tried imitating how Killua sounded. Her speech was muffled but she didn't shove food in her mouth. "Could you understand me while I sounded like I was stuffing my face with food?"

"Not really?"

"Then that's what I heard while you were talking," the (h/c) haired girl smiled, "But yeah, I'm excited about their match. I'm rooting for Gon, like usual." She took a bite of food. Just a little portion of it right now. She didn't feel like eating too much as she was thinking about things. As conversations were going on, and she didn't hesitate to join them, (Y/n) thought about how the match would go. Would it be in Gon's favor or would it be in Hisoka's favor? The chances were equal right now, but (Y/n) was confident in her friend.

Dinner was a treat and as promised, (Y/n) paid for the meal. She had a few protesters but she still went on with the transaction. Everyone spoke their goodbyes and they all went home for that night. Days count past them and soon enough it was the day where Hisoka and Gon are supposed to fight. 

Gon was already out of his room by the time Killua and (Y/n) woke up. He was out pretty early since Killua usually woke up at around 9 am, and he would wake up (Y/n) right after. Since Gon was away, this left Killua and (Y/n) to themselves. He could finally ask what happened a few days ago when she was running late to Hisoka's match. That...kept bugging him, really, and since they have a bit of privacy, he might as well shoot a few questions.

He was always full of questions, especially when it came to her.

"You never told me what happened with you and your aunt," Killua asked. He rested his chin on his palm. His blue eyes stared at (Y/n)'s surprised (e/c) pair. "You said you were gonna tell me _later_ but you never did. Now's a good time to ask right now."

"Do I always have to tell you things Killua?"

"Well yeah. We're friends after all, (Y/n)."

"Sometimes we gotta keep things to ourselves, Killua."

"Don't blame me. I'm just worried about you. That's all. No harm there, right?"

(Y/n) stared at Killua, now mimicking what he was doing. She swirls around her drink, thinking about what to say. The chatter in the cafeteria makes it hard for her to think. Should she spill the beans? She did one time and things proved to be much more beneficial for her. 

"The other day," the girl started, "My aunt saw me and decided to follow me. I was out to get clothes. I didn't think she would actually try and find me since she always had people do things for her. I was one of the people who did things for her ya know, so I would know how she was like." (Y/n) placed down her drink, feeling calm enough to stop swirling her drink. "She stopped me right in front of the arena. She was bold ya know? I didn't think she would have the guts to try and manipulate me in front of hundreds of people- but I guess they were pretty busy thinking about Hisoka's match."

"I could have gone with you, you know," Killua spoke. He quietly sipped his soda as he stared at her. "You could have just waited for me. It doesn't take that long to snoop in Kastro's things ya know. Besides, I got busted anyway, so the operation was shorter than I expected." He had a smile on his face as he talked about his failed snooping. Must have been funny for him, almost.

"How else would I get better at seeing my aunt if I had you with me?"

"Easy. I could have been your support. That way, you wouldn't have taken that long to get away from her." 

Killua showed (Y/n) smile, which caused the girl to cross her arms and shake her head. "Still, I think I would have preferred seeing her by myself." Her lips arch into a pout. "She used my father's name against me. She was trying to manipulate me again. I know better now, so I didn't let that get to me."

"That sucks," Killua replied, "Well at least you did get away from her. You're clearly getting better." The white-haired male stood up and stretched. He tossed his soda can in a recycling bin behind him before he looked to (Y/n). "It's almost time for the match," he mumbled, "We better get in there before everyone steals our reserved seats."

(Y/n) nodded her head. She quickly gulped the remaining droplets of her drink before she threw it away. The girl walked beside her friend. No words were exchanged but it looks like they didn't want to talk to each other at the moment. What is there to say anyway?

Soon enough Killua and (Y/n) reached the arena Gon and Hisoka were fighting in. There were already a bunch of people inside. They were all restless, impatient, and making a lot of noise. There were a handful of watchers that were looking through their phone and others were taking a nap while waiting. (Y/n) followed Killua to their seats and they both got comfortable. As they waited, the teens talked about anything to pass the time. It helped them escape boredom, that's for sure.

The lights in the arena dimmed and spotlights moved to the center of the giant room. The match was going to start in a few seconds and people were howling in excitement. The noise almost irked (Y/n) but she would get used to it. The crowd was just as loud as in Kastro and Hisoka's fight, if not, louder than them. The announcer continues to yell through her microphone to boost up the crowd's volume. She then begins bragging about the contestants and their scores.

Hisoka and Gon were glaring at each other and immediately (Y/n) could feel a disturbance in the atmosphere. It caused her to shudder. "His aura's getting heavier by the minute," the girl whispered, "It's making me really _really_ uncomfortable." 

"Tell me about it," Killua scoffs, "Well it's not _as_ bad as Illumi's."

The referee in the middle platform spoke of rules. It's a point or KO system. There's no time limit. That means...this can go all night and people would stay in their seats to see everything. This includes Killua and (Y/n). Everyone was on the edge of their seats when the referee initiated the fight. 

Gon took the offense path and went straight to punches. All of those barely hit Hisoka. The green-clothed boy continued to go with his approach until Hisoka got a clean hit on him. This hit had Gon stumbling back, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. He was clearly stunned as the referee gave Hisoka a point. 

"Hisoka's not even moving," Killua spoke, "He's....having fun. He was like this with Kastro." 

"He's more riled up with Gon," (Y/n) added, "It's like he's actually been waiting for this....thinking about it makes me feel weird." Her lips arch into a small pout.

Back in the arena, Gon and Hisoka were steps apart from each other. They exchanged words before they were at it again. Instead of going head-on, Gon decided to move around his opponent and use the stone tile flip technique. Hisoka would be too preoccupied with the stone and rubble to see where he would go. The predictions were right. Hisoka was standing still, confused, but he would eventually lose his confusion when he gets a clean hit on the face. Now he was the stunned one. 

Gon was given two points based on his strategy and the damage dealt. 

In the midst of the screaming, Gon and Hisoka were calm. They approached each other. One had a frown on his face while the other had a smirk. As soon as they were close enough, Gon handed Hisoka his tag back. Looks like he's kept it there for a while and he was waiting for the opportunity to give it back to him.

"Hey was that Hisoka's tag back in the hunter exam?"

"Looks like it."

After the quick exchange, the two split ways. They were a good enough distance away but they were close enough to hear each other. They talked about nen and how Hisoka had his own way of telling people what type they are. So far...he's got all the points right. Enhancers are straightforward and determined. Transmuters are _whimsical_ and lie often. The two teens on the sidelines gulp as he's got that part right. 

Gon and Hisoka's conversation was cut short when Hisoka quickly moved forward like lightning. His punches were fast too, and he managed to hit Gon twice. The crowd went wild and so did the two other teens. 

"What the fuck-" (Y/n) gasped, "He's-He's too fast!" 

Hisoka continued his fast pace and tried to kick Gon. Gon managed to leave the area before he could get kicked into the stalls. The tile was sent flying instead. That thing flew to one of the stands, which wasn't Killua and (Y/n)'s stand. Those who were hit by the tile probably had to be rushed out of the arena to the clinic to assess their wounds. The flying tile was nothing to everyone else, as they were all focused on the fight. 

They were, once again, far apart from each other. Gon and Hisoka continued to circle each other, like two tigers. They talked to themselves before it was quiet. Soon enough Gon was getting pulled towards Hisoka and he immediately was hit to the ground. The black-haired boy was seen struggling to get up. He managed to keep himself balance, but he was leaning to one side. Once he was up, they were talking again. 

It was a quiz and Gon lost that one too. It was about when Hisoka managed to attach his nen on him.

"Rubber _and_ gum?" (Y/n) thought out loud, "That's gonna be one tough gum to chew." 

"Hisoka's much more dangerous than I thought he would be," Killua mumbled, "he's got a lot of cards up his sleeve." 

Gon thought about things for a moment. He wanted a good approach to this. Eventually, he decided to charge forward, seeing as there was no other way around it. 

The black-haired boy was relentless with his punches. One after another, he continued to hit Hisoka until the bubblegum haired magician decided to hit back. They were all clean hits so the judge gave everyone two points. Hisoka was in the lead by 5, which wasn't looking pretty for Gon. 

The crowd grew restless, disappointed by the points given in the match. The announcer even talks about how controversial the point system was in this match. Almost everyone in the arena was angry, but, some were in relief. If Hisoka wins this match sooner, Gon would have enough time to rest up and heal, since those bruises don't look too good on him. There were even bumps.

Hisoka and Gon were a good enough distance away from each other. Gon glares at his opponent as he thought about their points. Hisoka caught him off guard when he started laughing. He pointed to the right of Gon, which Gon followed. He was hit with a small piece of stone right after, causing him to stumble to the side. The judge called this a clean hit point for Hisoka, which resulted in the magician's win.

Everyone was yelling, shouting in anger, at the judge who called the points. They were all standing up and throwing their hands in the air. Gon's fans were angry and Hisoka's fans were screaming in joy. Looks like everyone is pleased and unpleased with results. Gon and Hisoka exchange a few words before the magician disappeared behind a dark corridor. Gon sat on the platform, confused and slightly frustrated.

He still had so much more to do but then it all stopped.

At the end of the night, the arena was emptied and workers tried to clean up the rubble from the broken tile on one of the stands. Killua and (Y/n) waited for Gon to appear from one of the exits. His bumps were patched up, but his bruises were visible. He had his green jacket slung over his shoulders and he looked tired.

"Sup," Killua greeted Gon, "Got a beating in there huh?"

"Not as much as I had hoped for, but sure," Gon replied. He let out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought I could do it, but at least I got a good punch in it."

"You did better than what I could do," (Y/n) smiled, "I don't think I would be able to fight that guy yet when he's just oozing such a bad aura. I could feel it from all the way in the stands and it made me really uncomfortable. I wanna be unbothered like you!"

"I was probably too busy thinking about things. I really really _really_ wanted to win," Gon whined. "Well, whatever. I'm getting hungry. We should probably head to the cafeteria and head to bed. Not gonna lie, that fight took a bit out of me. But! In case you guys worry, I'll be fine! I guess I'm just a little bummed by the results."

As requested, the trio goes to the cafeteria to get their dinner. They chatted about anything related to the fight and to clear some air, they talked about other things too. They yapped and yapped until they all got separated by heading to bed. They talked about their plans right after the arena. 

They all agreed to head over to Gon's home to rest.

In the morning after, the teens met up in front of the building. They all had their stuff packed and they already grabbed their money. On the first floor's main hall, the television played a news clip from last night. The judge from Hisoka and Gon's match talked about his point system and how he wanted to get the match over with. The judge felt it was right to break up their fight quickly, or each contestant would have suffered a lot of damage.

Really, the judge was just worried about Gon, as he seemed less experienced than Hisoka.

"They really let ya go like that huh?" Killua smirked, "Bet that feels bad huh?"

"Well I guess there are no hard feelings," Gon replied, "I didn't mind. As long as I got a really good punch on Hisoka." 

"Lucky you got out of there alive ya know! The judge really saved your ass too!" (Y/n) grinned, "I know how stubborn you are. You probably wouldn't stop if the judge didn't call it off."

"I know."

Laughs flew in the air as the teens walked out of the arena, but the girl grew quiet as they walked. She had a thought. She wanted to do something before they leave this city. As much as she wanted to do this much later on in life, she couldn't hold back now. Not after that confrontation, she had with her days before.

They all walked into the bus stop, but before they could board into one, (Y/n) held them back. She had grabbed Gon and Killua's wrists, asking them to stand back for a moment. There was a look in her eye that the boys couldn't understand. They all stared at her until she started speaking.

"I wanna see my aunt."

The request seemed so bizarre, especially from a girl who seemed so determined _not_ to see her aunt. Killua and Gon looked at each other, curious about what made the teenage girl think about visiting her horrible relative. The white-haired one was about to ask, but he got a sharp hit on the gut from Gon. There was a look on the other's eyes that was telling him to just _be quiet_ and to _keep to himself_. Killua did just that. The two followed (Y/n)'s lead and they got on board a bus (Y/n) used to get back to her aunt's house. 

The ride there was unusually quiet, especially since (Y/n) was the one that started conversations. The boys respected her choice of being silent and continued to shut their mouths until they reached their bus stop. The (h/c) haired girl was the first to get out and she let her friends trail her. They walked a few steps to a gated neighborhood filled with big houses. You would think these people had a lot of money in their hands as the houses were almost as big as mansions.

Gon and Killua admired the scenery quietly. One even gasped in awe at how fancy this place looked.

(Y/n) punched in numbers to let herself in the small gate. She kept the door open for her friends. Before she could turn her head away from her friends, she sent them a small smile, saying that she was okay. Gon and Killua didn't want to believe her but they also didn't want to ask her questions. They didn't want to make her uncomfortable, especially in a situation as serious as this. 

They continued to trail her until they were in front of a large, two-story house. The plants were lively and trees shaded the front yard. (Y/n) used to tend to those flowers. She wondered if her aunt hired someone to take care of them. She wondered if they were treated fairly.

The girl continued to walk until she got to the front door. Her finger pressed the doorbell, and she could hear the cheerful bell ring inside the house. (Y/n) looked back to see her friends far away from her. She urged them to come with her, as she needed their support. 

She was facing one of her biggest fears...she needed all the help she could get.

(Y/n) looked back at the white, clean door. It was a pleasant sight, but it was ruined when a woman who was ages older than (Y/n) appeared in front of her. Her silky hair flowed behind her shoulder, and she still wore that hairclip. Her face was covered with powder and other cosmetics. 

Lysantha was almost enraged by the sight of the girl, but she softened up when she saw she had other _guests._ The older woman cleared up her throat and stood tall. She had her hands behind her back to hide the alcohol she was downing earlier. "I didn't expect to see you here little one," she cooed, "have you come to stay here?"

The girl stared at her aunt, glaring at her almost. In an instant, (Y/n) slapped her relative. The action shocked everyone around (Y/n), even her friends. The aunt could be heard growling under her breath, and she quickly fixed her posture. She held a fake expression of sadness and despair.

As if she was hurt by the girl's actions. She was mostly enraged by it.

"Why did you-"

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that," (Y/n) laughed, "And I even got powder in my hands." The (h/c) haired girl dusted her palms before she looked up at her aunt. "I just want to say that I hate you, with every inch of my body too! Also, you have no _right_ to say my dad's name. You don't deserve it, after what you've done to me." All of it was said with a smile, which made Killua and Gon curious.

Looks like (Y/n) finally had a giant load of stress off of her shoulders with that slap. Both of them were happy for her.

Lysantha stood there with a smile on her face. She tried to reach forward to grab the girl's hand but she failed because the girl moved away. (Y/n) could be seen with a smile on her face.

"Here's to never seeing you again, _auntie,"_ (Y/n) spat, "Hope you have fun downing that bottle now." 

The girl had a bright look to her, which was much better than before. Her aunt was seen standing in disbelief, but also in anger. Before she could make a scene, (Y/n) and her friends could be seen scurrying off out of the neighborhood. This would be the last time (Y/n) ever sees her aunt, and she made sure that it was going to be a memorable memory. The trio could be seen laughing as they boarded the bus to the port.

"To Whale Island!" they cheer.

Their departure from the city marks the start of another adventure for the trio and they start it with smiles and laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: 
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope you are all well! <3 
> 
> I haven't been updating in a bit because there's just so much to work on and I haven't had the time to actually work on things because of school. I hate it here lmaoOO but it's all good because I eventually get time to write. I hope you're all okay with me taking my time on the chapters because school really is biting my ass
> 
> This marks the end of the Heaven's arena arc! Yaaaaay!! After 8 fucking chapters, we did it boys B)  
> Next one would be the Yorknew arc, but we still have to visit whale island first! ^^\
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I love you all! Thank you for your support as well <3


	23. 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " The stars shine differently in this part of the world. "

"Hey! Can you at least not try to throw me off the boat!"

A girl could be heard whining as she leaned against the railing of the boat's deck. (H/c) locks bounced around as she turned to face her friends. Killua was dangerously close to her, threatening to push her off of the boat. "Oi! I said no!" (Y/n) stuck her tongue out at her friend before ducking under and running behind him.

"I still need to get you back for stealing my food last night!" 

"It was just last night! Why do you have to push me off the boat?!" 

"Cuz thieves gotta walk the plank!"

The three teens run around, laughing and chasing each other. The crewmates looked at them with curious gazes. Some kept their eyes on them while others returned to their work. 

It was always nice to have a few lively passengers on board, especially since the boat ride can sometimes be depressing. Their laughs filled the air, lightening up the atmosphere the boat had from the beginning. 

The three teens stopped their antics and found themselves at the back of the boat. All three stared at the ocean, panting and lightly laughing to themselves. (Y/n) pressed herself against the railing, her arms propped up so she could support her head. "I'm beat from running," the girl mumbled. She turns her head to look at her friends who stared out at sea. "We'll be there soon right?"

Gon looked down at his friend, smiling. "I'm sure. Usually, it doesn't take that long to get there. I've heard from the captain that the longest they've gone is around five days."

"We've been on this boat for three days already," Killua chimed in, "I'm hoping we don't have to stay here for another two days. There's really nothing to do on the boat ya know." The white-haired boy pushed his bangs away from his face and sighed. "Well other than chase (Y/n) around for stealing our food again."

"Hey!" (Y/n) yelled, "It was only one time! It's not like I've been stealing your food for the past three days!"

"That's something a thief would say," Killua smiled, "So you gotta come clean to us now before we push you off."

"Trust me, I didn't," (Y/n) pouted, "You're mean, Killua."

Gon stared at his friends, laughing at their antics. "Well when we get to Whale Island, I'm sure Aunt Mito is gonna cook a lot of stuff for us. She'll want to cook for all of us anyway. She's super nice." The raven-haired teen nudged his friends, smiling. 

The three looked down at the water, finding the deep blue ocean.

"You ever wonder what's down there," (Y/n) asked, "Like, what if there's big giant fish there, swimming around, waiting for food you know." 

Gon and Killua looked at each then to the girl they stood beside. 

"You sure you wanna think about that right here? When we're basically floating in it?"

"Well, it's not like it's gonna creep me out or anything," (Y/n) pouted, "besides, we have nothing better to do than talk about things, so might as well talk about the ocean."

"Well I've heard they've pulled some giant squid from the ocean. Luckily for us, it doesn't live in tropical areas! If we were to see it, it would have been like the Kraken or something!" Gon spoke, "I dunno what goes on in this part of the ocean though, since I only fish in the lakes but, you know I think they're gotta be some big fish out here in these parts!"

The teens continued to yap their mouths before they were called down by one of the crewmembers. They had been facing the back for so long that they didn't see that they were already close to Whale island. Upon hearing the news, the three scurried off inside to grab their belongings so they could be ready to hop off. They didn't have to worry about paying for their fare, as Gon already did three days ago. 

The boat was docked at the harbor and many townsfolk welcomed Gon with smiles and greetings. As his arrival was so sudden, they were not able to prepare anything big. There were a few who had baskets of fresh fruit and fish on standby already. The gifts were all rejected by Gon. Even if the people were insistent, the boy still didn't want to bring too much home. After all, he was mostly worried about seeing his aunt and grandma again. 

The two that stuck with the raven-haired boy grabbed the baskets, as they felt bad for the people who prepared them. They were all arranged nicely and it looks like people tried to make it a nice welcoming for Gon. Killua and (Y/n) smiled and thanked the vendors at the dock before catching up with Gon. They had two baskets of fruit in their hand and a tray of fresh fish to take home. 

Gon looked back at his friends, finding the gifts in their hands. He pouted at the sight and smiled. "Why did you guys take it? Now I feel bad about having you carry all those." He slowed down for a moment and grabbed the extra basket (Y/n) had in her hand. "I didn't wanna take the gifts from them because it's their hard work, but I guess they sort of called you over to hand it to me. I don't really see the point of returning them now." 

Killua and (Y/n) nodded their head. "Well yeah. We already have it in our hands," Killua mumbled. 

"This would be our presents to your aunt, Gon," (Y/n) hummed, "I'm sure that she'll love having groceries. I know my uncle loves it when people give him free groceries because that means he doesn't have to spend that much to stock up again." 

Gon pondered for a moment. "I guess it could work. I sort of do need a peace offering since I haven't sent her any letters when we started learning nen. I guess I got carried away with training that I forgot about sending her anything." The boy scratched the back of his head, laughing.

The trio kept walking until they've made it atop a hill. They all stopped in front of a small, two-story home. Gon was the first to knock on the door, and the first thing he did was embrace his aunt he missed so much. (Y/n) and Killua stood there behind him, smiling and waving at the aunt who looked at them. The auburn-haired woman pulled away from the hug and sent a short greeting to her guests.

"These are your friends Gon?" Mito smiled, "It's very nice to meet all of you. I'm sure that you're all exhausted from traveling." The woman stepped aside so that her guests can come in. She closes the door behind them and immediately heads to the kitchen. "Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll cook up something so you three can start eating immediately. I know teenagers always have an appetite. Isn't that right, Gon?"

"Yup!" Gon grinned, "I always go hungry for Aunt Mito's cooking. You guys should really try them! It's really good!" The boy called his friends over to the kitchen where they sat at the dining table. (Y/n) and Killua made themselves comfortable on the chair and had their hands placed on the table. The teens talked among themselves, with Mito chiming in to add to Gon's conversation. After a while, an old lady comes through the hallway and hugs her grandson.

"Oh, this is my grandma!" Gon squeaked, "She stays here with Aunt Mito." The raven-haired boy let his grandma introduce herself to the two guests before she excused herself to do something else. 

"Your grandma sounds super sweet," (Y/n) smiled, "I'm sure she used to spoil you rotten right?"

"Well, not really," Gon laughed, "Okay maybe she used to spoil me just a bit, but it wasn't enough for Aunt Mito to get angry at me." 

As the two talked about family, Killua sat there and listened. He couldn't add anything to the conversation because, well, he hasn't had the prettiest childhood. Most of his life was his training. He rarely got any affection from his parents or his grandparents. The only time they've ever noticed him was when they wanted him to do missions, or just recently when they let him out of the house. 

Being in a place that's warm and inviting like this sort of made Killua out of place.

The white-haired boy had been quiet all this time that the other two noticed. Gon and (Y/n) turned their head to look at Killua with bright smiles on their faces. The expressions seem to fluster the pale teen as he looked away with a slight flush on his face. 

"What?" Killua asked.

"Well you were a little quiet so we got a little curious as to why you were so quiet," (Y/n) giggled, "Did you wanna talk about anything, Killua?"

"Well I have nothing in mind, really," the white-haired boy replied, "I just like listening to you guys, I guess."

"Ah, well feel free to talk to us you know," Gon smiled, "If it makes you talk to us, we can talk about other things, right (Y/n)?" As a response, the girl nodded her head. "See? So if you want, we can talk about the things you like!"

The conversation topic made Killua red. He wasn't used to this at all, even if he's stuck with these two for quite some time. It's only been a few months since they've been together as friends and he thought he'd get used to them now. He was so wrong. 

The three teens continued to yap their mouths before they were given plates that were filled with delicious food. They all looked at it hungrily before they started consuming everything on their plates. Mito and Gon's grandma stared at the hungry trio and laughed. They shook their heads as they prepared more plates of food for them to eat. 

Plates start to pile up in the sink, but eventually it all ends. (Y/n) was the first to finish eating, as she didn't want to seem like she's been hogging the food to herself. The girl also felt bad for Gon's aunt and grandma since they were working to serve them. Gon and Killua stopped eating at the same time, and by the time they were done, their bellies were round like the sun. As the two sat in their chairs, waiting for energy to come back to them, (Y/n) helped Mito with washing the dishes and cleaning the table. This gave enough time for the two to talk.

"So, (Y/n), I've heard a lot about you from Gon," Mito smiled, "He said that you were a good friend and groupmate during the hunter exam. I've read in the letters that he talks mostly about you and Killua. He said that you were weird, but in a good way. You were kind, bright, and fun to talk to, even if he saw you as weird." 

(Y/n) looked at the older woman and smiled as she rinsed the dishes. "Did he? I didn't know he was saying that stuff about me. I know the others in our friend group called me weird before, but that's because they didn't understand the thing I had. They said I was _magic_ or something." A laugh comes from the girl as she put the dishes away on a dish rack. "But, it's nice to hear that he thinks I'm nice. It really makes me happy."

"Gon says that you make him happy too," Mito replied as she moved to the dish rack to dry the plates, "Both you and Killua make him happy, but he says that there's something special about you too that he admires."

"Admires?" (Y/n) asked, "What is it?"

"He doesn't know," Mito hummed, "He just says that there's something about you he admires and he can't explain what it is." The woman turned her body to look at the two boys resting on the dining chairs. She laughed at the sight. "Maybe he'll know in time, but now he's probably trying to understand it."

The girl nodded her head, also a bit baffled as to why Gon admired her. It had her mind buzzing about it but let the idea go when she heard that the boys were up and at it again. By the look on their faces, they took a power nap and they had no idea what she and Mito were talking about. A part of (Y/n) is relieved by that fact, as she didn't want to see Gon flustered by what his aunt told her. 

(Y/n) approached her friends with a smile on her face. "I can't believe you guys ate so much you ended up taking a power nap." A soft laugh comes from her mouth as she looked at her friends. "Looks like you guys are still a bit sleepy."

"No, I'm not," Killua mumbled, "fifteen minutes is enough for me to sleep, actually." A yawn leaves him as he stretched in his chair. He looks to Gon, who looked to be half-awake. "Oi. Don't tell me you're still actually sleepy."

"I'm not," Gon groaned, "I'm just resting my eyes."

"Well, if you guys end up napping, I don't think we'll get to explore the island as we planned earlier," (Y/n) pouted. "Aunt Mito and Grandma told you guys to slow down eating and now all that weight is weighing you down." 

When (Y/n) mentioned their plan of exploring the island, Gon's eyes shot up and they were wide. "We can actually go. See! I'm awake now!" The raven-haired teen was the first to stand up and walk towards the door. Before they could disappear, Gon told his aunt where they were going.

"Stay safe now!" Mito yelled back at the trio. A smile formed on her face as she heard the door close. Those kids are gonna be at it again. She's just hoping that nothing troubling is going to come their way. She's also hoping that, well, they don't cause trouble out there too.

Around the island, the three teenagers raced around. They kept running and hopping walls, thinking that it was some sort of test they had to do. Their laughs echoed through the peaceful streets of the harbor town nearby. Those who heard them couldn't help but shake their heads. They knew it was Gon messing around again, acting as childish as ever. There's rarely anything to do on a small island like this so they understood why the teenagers were making a lot of noise and running around like kids. Soon their laughs disappeared into the forest. Gon guided them around and showed parts he knew his animal friends were at. They came across a tiny lake. Gon invited his friends to sit with him.

"This is where I used to hang out with Kon, my big animal friend," Gon grinned. "He can't see you guys right now because the animals here consider him to be the king of this forest. He doesn't really want to ruin his reputation by hanging out with me and plus, he's pretty busy." The boy let his feet dangle over the edge, the tip of his shoe almost touching the water. 

"That kinda sucks," (Y/n) mumbled, "I kinda wanted to see your friend. He sounds super cool judging by how you described him. He's probably just as cool as Killua's dog."

"What dog?" Killua asked, "Oh, do you mean Mike? I guess he's a cool dog. I think Kon's cooler though. He's like this....what? A giant bear with a face like a fox right?"

"Yup! He's cool! But Mike is cool too!" Gon smiled.

(Y/n) looked at her friends and thought about her own pet. "You guys have cool animal friends..." the girl mumbled, "but here I am with my pet cat and my regular farm animals." A frown decorated her face. Immediately the two boys noticed her shift in mood. 

"Well, I mean, Garfelf is cool too. Your pet cat is super cool! He's nice and fluffy and round," Gon spoke, "I think he's like Kon in a way that, well, they're both nice and fluffy and round."

"And he's sort of like my dog Mike too," Killua added in, "Except for the part where he murders people. Garfelf is as loyal as Mike, I can tell you that much."

When (Y/n) hears the praise her pet cat gets, she nods her head in response. "I see," was all she could mumble, but it was clear that those comments made her feel a bit better about her choice of an animal friend. No matter how small or how scary their animal friends can be, they're all cool in their own way.

"I should probably show you guys the edge of the island. I used to go around there to look at the ocean," Gon grinned, "It's near Aunt Mito's house actually. We can head over there and then probably come back before dinner."

The two teens nodded their heads before they stood up and walked off. The path they took wasn't at all straight forward, rather, they weaved through many trees. They even passed another small lake that Gon said was the place he caught this giant fish. That giant fish was called the king and catching that enabled him to enter the hunter exam. 

The trio ran through bushes, jumped atop trees, and skipped steps. They all eventually ended up at their destination. They spent too much time running around, getting distracted by the different fauna that they arrived at the edge of Whale Island around sundown. The three sat at the edge of the cliff, their feet dangling off. 

The sun illuminated the cool blue sea, covering it with a warm red color. The sky was peppered with pieces of fluffy orange clouds. The sun's light shine on the trio that looked out at the sunset. (Y/n) kept her eyes straight at the sun, her eyes admiring the sight. The sunsets she saw weren't this pretty. She was glad that she got to see how the sun painted the scenery with reds, oranges, yellows, and purples. 

As the girl was busy staring at the horizon, the two boys turned their heads to look at her. They didn't expect to stare at her, honestly, but something about the light hitting her soft (s/c) skin with her (h/c) hair flowed with the wind. They kept their eyes on her before they noticed each other staring at her. A flush covers each of their faces before they look away. Something tells them that they're not going to tell her that they were staring.

"It's pretty," (Y/n) grinned, looking at her friends, "It's nice to look at something this pretty every once in a while. If I could, I would have taken a picture of this and showed it to my uncle. I bet he would have loved seeing this too." The girl tilted her head to the side as she noticed her friends were pretty quiet. "Something the matter?" She laughed, "I'm guessing you guys are pretty much in awe cuz of the sunset huh?" 

"No," Killua mumbled back, crossing his hands. "I just thought of something. You don't have to worry about it." 

When (Y/n) turned to face Gon, she could see him doing the same thing. He nodded his head to agree to what Killua said. He too was thinking about something.

They _clearly_ weren't just staring at her for a few minutes. 

"We should stay here for a little longer. I wanna look at it more," (Y/n) commented, "I wanna see if the first star that pops up in the sky is gonna be the same star as the one I see every night. I know it sounds a little childish, but it's a wishing star. I haven't talked to it in a while, actually, since I have people to talk to now." The girl nudged her friends, smiling. 

"Wishing star huh?" Killua hummed, "That sounds lame." He stuck out his tongue playfully before laughing. 

"It sounds pretty neat, honestly," Gon replied, "I think we should look out for it too. Hopefully, it'll pop up. If not, we can wait a little longer until the first star pops up in the sky." 

"You guys aren't actually serious about this are you-" Killua frowned, "What's the use of a wishing star when we gotta work for what we want."

"Well there are some things you just gotta wish for, Killua," (Y/n) hummed, "Like for example, good luck! You can't just you know...have good luck. If the wishing star is nice to you, it'll give you what you want!"

They all stayed for a little longer, waiting for the stars to appear. The sky turned a deep blue color and it was dotted with white spots. Stars twinkled above them as the three stayed in a cold darkness. The trio looked at each other and nodded. It took Killua a while to cave into the idea of wishing on a star but it was all worth it. Each teen closed their eyes and wished for what they wanted in life. Their wishes are kept to themselves to ensure that their wishes are fulfilled in the future. 

Killua turns his head to his friends, his eyes staring at (Y/n) again. Even in the night time, she looks...

"Killua what are you doing?" his mind snapped at him. His eyes widen for a bit before looking away from them. A light blush dusted his face as he crossed his arms. A huff leaves him. 

Gon turns his head when he heard Killua huff, but eventually, his eyes trail up to (Y/n) too. A bright smile decorates his face as he stared at her features. All he could think about was her, but eventually, his mind scolded him for looking at her that way.

They were friends...nothing more anyway.

(Y/n) was the first to stand up and stretch her limbs. She wanted to go to Gon's house and probably spend the rest of the day napping in the bed. All that sea travel has taken her energy. She hasn't been able to get a good night's rest because she was scared that the boat might suddenly tip over while she's sleeping.

"Come on. I'm getting a little tired. I wanna take the biggest snooze!" (Y/n) spoke. She gently nudges her two friends to stand up. Killua and Gon nodded their head. Soon the raven-haired teen took the lead and headed straight for his house.

When they arrived back home, they were met with a feast-like dinner. (Y/n) had a few servings before placing her plate in the sink. She looked at her two friends and giggled at how they seem to eat everything like a black hole. For a moment, she connects eyes with Gon's aunt, and with a nod, she understood what the woman wanted.

Mito excused herself and asked (Y/n) to follow her to the living room where they could have some time to talk.

"If you'd like (Y/n) you can share a room with me," Mito hummed, "I'm not sure if you really want to sleep with the two boys. I know how they are...Gon has a loud snore. Not sure about Killua though."

The girl looked up at the older female with a smile. "Oh don't worry about us! They've slept over at my room once before and I got through the night just fine. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard Gon snore that loud."

"Oh he's loud, probably even louder than a fox-bear's howl," Mito giggled, "I'm just making sure you're comfortable you know. I don't want you to be uncomfortable under my roof. I have a futon you can sleep on if you'd like. I also have an extra for Killua actually. Do you need help setting it up?"

"No, I think we'll be fine. Thank you for the offer though, Miss Mito."

The two women walked back to the dining area to find Killua and Gon passed out in the kitchen. (Y/n) approached her friends and gently shook them. "Oi, don't sleep in the kitchen. A bed's much more comfortable than a chair you know."

Killua groaned lightly, his eyes opening to look up at his friend. "A bed. Would be nice right now. I'm hella stuffed." The white-haired boy stood up and stretched. 

Gon sat on the chair still, his eyes closed. A frown appeared on his face as he shook his head. "I wanna stay here."

"I'm taking your bed then," (Y/n) spoke.

"Go ahead! It's comfortable anyway and you're guests here," Gon groaned, "I'll sleep on this chair...it's comfortable enough."

"Well at least show us to your room first before you actually pass out on the chair," Killua added.

"Fine."

Gon wobbled out of his seat, a frown still stuck on his face. He listened to his Aunt tell him to put the futon beds out for his guest and nodded. Slowly, Gon walked up the stairs, his eyes fully open, but still pouting. He led his friends to his bedroom and left to get extra beds. Killua looked at (Y/n) as he leaned against a wall. 

"You're not actually going to take his bed right?" Killua asked, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"No. Why would I do that? It's his bed. I don't think it's right for guests to take the host's bed you know."

"That'll make two of us on the futons then."

"Yup! I just hope they're comfortable like the ones I have at home."

The door swung open, revealing Gon with two beds in his hands. He gently put the foams down on the floor, along with the blankets that clung on to him for dear life. Once the futon was on the floor, the two guests dropped down. (Y/n) made herself comfortable and hurriedly grabbed the blankets from her struggling friend. The girl laughed lightly at Gon's expression.

"Wait you're not actually taking my bed?" Gon asked, his head tilting to the side.

"Of course not!" (Y/n) stuck her tongue out. She stood up and grabbed a few pillows from Gon's hands and threw one at Killua, not knowing he didn't see it coming towards him. The wind nen user explained to her friend that it wasn't right for guests to sleep on a host's bed. 

Gon nodded his head, smiling at them. As his friends got comfortable on their beds, he heard his aunt call him over for something. He excused himself and went to where the older woman was, leaving the two friends alone. 

(Y/n) laid on her back, her (e/c) eyes staring at the ceiling. A smile graced her features. "Hey," she called out to Killua, "Good night. I'm heading to bed." 

"It's it a bit early," Killua replied, "We still have the rest of the night. Don't you wanna do anything fun?" The white-haired boy looked to his friend. His eyes watched her movements, trying to predict her next move. He didn't expect her to turn and stare back at him.

"Well I'm a tired anyway," (Y/n) hummed, "We did run around the entire island. I wanna snooze." A soft giggle comes from her mouth before she turned again. Her eyes looked at the wall she faced. Her mind buzzed for a few moments before consciousness slipped from her grasp.

Killua heard soft snoring coming from his friend. He glanced her way, watching her calmly breathe. "Good night," he mumbled. He kept his eyes on her for a bit longer.

The boy's brain snapped at him, saying that he shouldn't. He should probably sleep soon. A sigh comes from the white-haired male as he turned away from her again. Within a few seconds, the two friends were sleeping, leaving one awake. The one still buzzing with life would soon head to bed after talking with his aunt.

Gon opened the door to his bedroom and smiled at the sight of his friends. He flicked the lights off and walked quietly to his bed. As he laid there, staring in the darkness, he couldn't help but think of his dad. After the thoughts dispersed, he mumbles a soft "good night" to the air, before drifting off. 

Crickets cooed their song and the moon moved at a slow pace. The house was quiet for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: HEY ITS ME- I'M BACK BABY- AFTER TWO MONTHS 
> 
> I am so sorry I haven't been writing this one for a while because there's just so much going on with my life. I had to write for the other hxh story I have, and then I went to go watch anime, and I got into different other fandoms (not sure if I'll actually write for those but :3 maybe in the future when I'm not too distracted) I am sorry everyone for being away for a long time
> 
> I put a bit of romance into this one to show that their connection is closer than their connection in the hunter exam uwu
> 
> by the next chapter, we're probably gonna be in the yorknew arc, since this chapter was just a small break from the normal stuff ;3 o well
> 
> I LOVE YOU ALL AGAIN!! THANK YOU FOR READING!! MWUAH MWUAH- PLEASE STAY SAFE EVERYONE!!


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